


Then There's You

by DaKhari



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-10-10 10:06:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 68,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17423849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaKhari/pseuds/DaKhari
Summary: Sam and Mercy Evans have finally taken some time out of their busy lives to share their friends special occasion, it's been a while since they had time to even think about themselves and their lives, some of those memories they'd forgotten or locked away, take their time peeping though and maybe time is not always the best thing to have





	1. Sam and Mercy's Story

**Los Angeles**

**Wednesday**

It had been a long day, year actually for Sam and Mercy Evans, they'd been on tours, filming, recording and advertising all ending with a joint interview on the Ella show, ending these last six days of separation, just after the New Year, they'd finally got out of the studio and breathed, he was more than happy to see his wife sitting waiting for him

"Come on, I've got everything" Mercy smiled as he walked towards the limo

"Everything?" he asked his face breaking into a smile after the real news she'd just delivered to Ella and everyone watching in the studio

"Everything" she confirmed grabbing his lips as he sat in the limo "Lets get out of here" she snuggled in watching the chauffer close the door to get them started

"Airport please" Sam told the chauffer

They lived in Malibu, but they were making their way to Jamaica, two of their friends had planned their wedding over the weekend and they were hoping to grab a good time in between all the planning and preparations. Mercy's parents were coming from Carson City and Sam's brother Stevie and his family from Lima, they'd missed so many occasions while being on tours and filming through the year they were trying to do everything at once catch up with friends, family and get the wedding in before they were back on tour, grateful but hoping all their friends had and could work everything around them.

Mercy's Mom had married someone new once her Dad died when she was 12 years old, and for whatever reason, by 19 she never quite felt a part of all that anymore. There was no fault on any side sometimes these things happen, there's an imaginary difference in the way a new man treats his own blood children to the hangers on, even though she used to be the apple of his eye before the wedding, a brother and baby sister, in her eyes, had clouded her existence.

Relationships in the house were getting strained, everything her siblings done provoked a comment at the very least from her. In the end she took the adult decision to go away to college, taking up a music scholarship at UCLA, and to be fair she left Carson City and never even felt like she needed to go back.

Sam had an alright family childhood, there'd been sad times of course, his Dad and sister had died in the terrible road traffic accident, he was only 15 and he'd felt it hard, he sort of went off the rails for a while drinking and staying out and stuff, his Dad was such a big part of his life, and his little sister had been long awaited, he was 14 by the time she arrived and he'd surprised himself by feeling love instead of jealousy at her arrival. He wished he could say that their swift exit had brought the family together but it hadn't, in fact it highlighted the split for him, Stevie; his older brother, was 20 at the time, and Sam had always thought he just couldn't be bothered but it was clear at the funeral that everything had something to do with their Mom.

By the time he was 19 all he knew was that he had to get out of there, he needed to breath, the woman was suffocating him with her possessive, controlling and underhanded ways. She tried to stop him from moving away for college but in the end he'd got Stevie to help him with his application and when he got the offer from UCLA he jumped, he wasn't even sure what he was actually going to study he was just happy to be leaving Medford.

His roommate Blaine had come out to him that first year, and he was fine with that, they knew the boundaries, they partied hard and became really good friends. He went through the first two years of college in the usual way, girls, drink, drugs and a tiny bit of actual study, the third year started out threatening to be the same until one night at a club, they hooked up with these two girls, Rachel and Mercy, for whatever reason, Blaine was up for being straight for the night, so they played their game.

Luckily for him that game turned out to be the only real thing in his life, he refused to stop until he found that girl again and made himself a part of her life

_**Flashback** _

_In year three at College Mercy had come into her own, she'd played cupid for most of her friends in a positive way and found herself very much alone, she hooked up with this girl called Rachel, she was so far up herself, but some serious competition on the talent front, she needed this girl close, and that might have been how it started out for both of them, but they soon became friends, encouraging each other to do and be better._

_They'd gone out one night, not on the pull, but they weren't not looking, it wasn't long before Rachel caught these guys eying them up and told Mercy, the idea being to get themselves free drinks all night and then drop them when they'd got to their great time feels_

_"Hi" Rachel waved across the room at the guys giggling_

_"Rachel" Mercy gasped not believing what her friend had just done "That's sluttish stop it"_

_"It's fine we're just talking, it's nothing"_

_"You should have let them make the first move, now what are they going to think of us?"_

_"That we're up for it I guess" she laughed_

_"I'm not" Mercy told her laughing friend "Really I'm not" she told her, Rachel stopped laughing and looked at her friend_

_"How did I not know that about you?"_

_"Know what?"_

_"That you're a virgin" she laughed "Follow my lead" she told her as the guys walked towards them "Hi" she smiled frowning as Mercy sucked a massive amount of drink out of her glass through the straw, making the most off putting slurping sound "Sor…" she stopped at this tall blond guy standing in front of them laughing like it was funny "Freaky" she smiled widening her eyes as she looked round at Mercy_

_"Sorry I wasn't literally laughing at you, I thought it was funny, something I thought only I did" he held his hand out looking at Mercy "Sam" he smiled_

_"Mercy" she smiled taking his hand_

_"Drink?" he asked, stepping past an invisible Rachel to get to the bar_

_"Please ignore me" Rachel looked back at them saying_

_"Sorry my names Blaine" his friend held his hand out telling Rachel_

_"Rachel" she took his hand smiling_

_It had surprised all of them the amount of conversation they'd struck up, the night went quickly as everyone brought drinks, laughed and told stories of funny things that have happened to them on dates._

_Mercy felt warm inside, she'd had hit the jackpot with this guy Sam, they'd all but exchanged numbers before Rachel talked her into giving him the wrong digits, she didn't know why she followed her friends advice but she did, and by day two she was regretting that move. She didn't want Rachel to know she'd developed feelings for the man, she was sure she'd tell her she was being stupid and tell her she had a crush. She knew better she'd had crushes before, she knew the difference this was something else._

_It was the weekend but by Sunday she was still walking around the campus silently looking for his guy that had caught her eye and did something to her heart, the Monday came and went and still no sign, she was snapping at Rachel all day, pissed off because she was being all booed up about this Blaine guy with no thoughts of her feelings. Tuesday she sat rolling her eyes at Rachel going on about Blaine as if he'd been the best thing since sliced bread_

_"So what's his kiss like?" she finally asked, fed up with Rachel begging her to ask the question for the hundredth time "If you guys are so fucking loved up, it's got to be out of this world" she huffed_

_"He hasn't kiss me" she sulked_

_"You've been going on about him for the past three damn days, what do you mean he hasn't kiss you?"_

_"I don't know, maybe he doesn't feel the same way"_

_"Do you think?" Mercy rolled her eyes at her infatuated, frustrating friend_

_"Listen to you, you're just as bad, don't tell me you haven't been mooning over that Sam guy?"_

_"I'm not just mooning, if you'd have been interested to ask I'd have told you I'm looking for him, if you must know"_

_"Now who's acting sluttish?" she laughed, stopping when she noticed Mercy wasn't laughing "You're serious aren't you, you're really into him?"_

_"Really" she confirmed "I mean I can't even explain it because I don't know this feeling, but he left something behind when he walked away the other night, and you know me I'm not the one to make moves like this, but he's got me" she rested her head in her hands telling her friend, surprised she wasn't laughing at her_

_"He's the quarterback in the football team" Rachel told her, resting her hand on her shoulder "You should have said"_

_"I am" she looked up at her smiling "Thanks, we were so busy talking about ex's he didn't even mention he played"_

_"He seemed into you too" she smiled at her "And Blane's been asking about you, he said it was for that Sam but..." she looked at Mercy again "Sorry I should have said" she told her_

_"For real?" she smiled_

_"For real Mercy" Rachel giggled with her friend "Go get your man" she pushed her off the bench_

_Finally she had a breakthrough, she spent her break sitting in the stands waiting for him to recognise her, it didn't take long, by the end of the game he was standing in front of her smiling that smile again, melting her heart, "Have you heard that song?" he asked_

_She was filled with panic she hadn't heard a word he'd said "Which one?" she asked at the risk of sounding stupid_

_"Then There's You" he smiled "Charlie Puth"_

_"Thank you"  she giggled, their conversation went on forever ending with something like_

_"You need to tell your friend my boy Blaine's into guys, he was just having some fun that night"_

_"I think you need to tell your friend Blaine to tell my girl that himself" she told him, the next day she sat watching Rachel's heart break as Blaine delivered the news_

_Her only compensation being that she'd got her first date with Sam, how that helped Rachel she'd never know, except after that day she maybe had more patience for her friend_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"Sir, you're at the airport" the driver announced just before the car came to a halt


	2. Chapter 2

**LAX Airport**

"Thank you" he smiled as the chauffer opened the door, watching as the man got the bags loaded while he helped Mercy out the car "Thanks" he smiled again taking the trolley from him and walking towards the entrance checking that he'd remembered to check them in on his phone

"I need the bathroom" she looked at him crossing her legs with urgency

"Let's get to the VIP lounge there's one near to it" he grabbed her arm as she went to walk away

"It's fine we know this place like the back of our hands" she pulled away and went off to the bathroom, Sam went to the VIP lounge waiting for her to get back, they'd got at least an hours wait after boarding

"Sam Evans" two young girls screamed as they walked past the lounge seeing him sitting alone

"Hi" he smiled waving at them he was behind a window, safe enough, he didn't pay too much attention, he was careful about that stuff because of the fake news thing always making him out to be up for sale, his head went back down to the magazine he wasn't reading. He flicked through the pages of Mercy's magazine wondering what the hell she'd brought the garbage for, his head jerked up at the voice in front of him

"Could we get your autograph?" the two young girls from behind the glass were suddenly standing in front of him, asking him

"Sure" he looked around for the security before grabbing the pen and paper from one of them to quickly do what had been asked of him "There" he smiled handing them back the signed book

"And a selfie" the other girl asked, sitting beside him before he could give her an answer, she quickly took the snap and got up

"Have a good day" he told them as they walked off, he quickly looked around for Mercy or security, with that fake smile still on his face. He'd seen the crowd, but for a few seconds he didn't think anything of it, until suddenly Mercy's face popped into view from amongst the herd of people gathered "Shit" he jumped up rushing towards the two girls knocking one of them as he went "Sorry" he gripped their bags tighter and pushed through the door and into the crowd trying to get to his wife, he got to the core of the crowd and gasped rolling his eyes"Tyrone" he hissed at seeing the man, that had been after his wife since they'd done their first film together, he needed to remember to calm his temper at the obvious come on, his arm draped across her shoulder like he'd won some trophy

"Sam look who I met up with" Mercy smiled at him, seeing anger in his eyes

"Hi" he shook Tyrone's hand, smiling that false smile of his at the man before grabbing his wife around her waist "Babe we need to get out of here, no publicity remember?" he pulled her out of the man's grip

"Do you need that mirror again?" she looked up at him asking, knowing they'd made no agreement about publicity or anything else

"No I just want you safe" he smiled "Plus.." he looked up at the intercom "That's our Flight"

"Tyrone we've got to go, see you again soon" Mercy gave her cheek for him to kiss, Sam unwillingly shook his hand, before they walked away

"Where did he spring from?" he asked as they walked

"He was walking along with a sea of paparazzi following him" she laughed

"Talk about showman" he laughed, looking back at Tyrone, whose face was telling him he wished he was in his shoes, all he could do was smile smugly

"Talk about jealous" she raised her eyebrow at him, as she checked the departure board "And lying" to see there was no flight

"I'm..."

"Let's leave that there" she laughed grabbing his hand

They finally boarded the plane and found their seats, cuddled up in their usual first class seats, blocked away from the outside world, just a few hours and they'd be in Jamaica with their friends and family. They sat eating snacks until the hostess announced they were lifting off, they watched the lights of the town below them until they fell asleep, woken a short while later by the announcement that they were ready to land, collecting their bags the made ready to make the 70 minute car journey to their hotel.

**Montego Bay**

The drive just giving more opportunity to think about their life, the first time they'd taken a break since college, they were separated but still managed to find each other

_**Flashback** _

_Of course they'd denied profusely distance was going to make a difference, but none of them had factored in how much time it was going to take to get themselves off the ground in the industry._

_They'd tried hard at it for five months, but they knew it was coming, their conversations, when they actually happened, were strained, contained long silences as neither one wanted to say what was on their minds "Mercy" he closed his eyes on yet another one of their silent calls "We need to talk"_

_"I know" she burst out crying at him "Sorry, I know" she tried to control her emotions, it took him a while to carry on_

_"I'll come down this weekend, do this properly" he broke yet another long silence saying_

_"No do it now, don't come down, you know how we are"_

_"I want to come down"_

_"Sam please" she sighed down the phone "Just please, do it over the phone"_

_"Mercy you know I love you but... this is killing me" his voice broke as he spoke before the silence came back "This isn't working I think we should break up" he gasped at getting it out "I'm sorry"_

_"It's fine I agree" she told him putting the phone down before he could say anything else, he knew she was crying but he didn't have space for her feelings just then his heart was broken and it hurt like hell. He'd expected her to refuse to break up, tell him she still loved him, that they weren't believing in their love, anything, just not it's fine._

_It was taking a while getting used to not being the centre of each others lives, of course they played the emotional card, calling to moan, having conversations that ended leaving the other hoping, both not letting the other forget they were there, Blaine, Tina and Rachel doing so much talking their minds were numb, they were both looking out for each other, they just didn't know it, neither wanted to hold the other back and the way they dealt with that was being apart_

_Five months later he was in Canada doing a video for his first single, he'd finally decided to get back on that horse and take a girl out, she went by the name of Brittany, a woman from one of the nearby dance studios, she'd danced in his video and had been really friendly, they'd got talking about work "Drink?" he asked as they sat at the bar settling in for more conversation_

_"Scotch on the rocks" she smiled at him her blond hair flopping all over the place as she jumped up onto the stool_

_"Two of those please" he smiled at the bartender stood waiting to serve them_

_They sat talking, laughing, he was relaxed, she'd been a good listener, telling him if he believed it, this girl would come back, she was telling him everything he wanted to hear, and he was warming to her. She'd said something and kissed him, he'd let it happen, he closed his eyes and dared to let his lips taste someone else's, he enjoyed it, his hand went up, he pulled her head into him, it was nearly like something he hadn't felt in a while. His eyes opened to see Rachel and Mercy standing in the doorway, he pulled away so fast Brittany knew something was up_

_"What's the matter?" she asked_

_"Nothing sorry, I didn't mean to do that" his eyes left Mercy's and paid attention to the woman sitting in front of him for a second_

_"It's fine" she moved back in to take his lips again, frowning when he pulled back "Did I do something wrong?"_

_"No, it's not you" he rolled his eyes at the clique "I..." he watched Mercy turn and almost run out the place "Excuse me" he moved off quickly taking the tut Rachel had for him as he passed her "Mercy" he called as he saw the back of her jump into a cab "Mercy" he stood holding his head before making his way back into the bar "What was she doing here?" he asked Rachel stood at the door watching everything_

_"What do you think?" she hissed "Four months worth of work down the freaking drain" she threw her hands in the air telling him "And expensive friggin flights"_

_"You never said, this isn't even a first date, it's nothing, she's a girl from set, I just needed someone to talk to"_

_"And I've just spent four frigging months trying to convince your girl that she's the one you need to talk to, that was really hard for her to do"_

_"I didn't know she was coming back, Rachel you have to help me get her back"_

_She'd ignored his calls for two weeks and one day after talking to Blaine he made his mind up in the middle of the night to go see her and work it out, of course he'd gone in and over read the situation, she was sat in the studio innocently talking to this random Noah guy, Sam lost it went full on Rocky Balboa on the guy, the scuffle ended with him being thrown out of the studio by three guys. He stood outside waiting for the guy to come out, he wasn't finished with him yet, but Mercy came out instead and talked him into leaving with her_

_It took nearly two whole days of talking, begging, make up sex and lots of promises from both sides before they agreed to get back together, they were both angry about something in their relationship and that air needed clearing._

_Theirs was an unusual argument that started with heated rushed sex, later venturing into arguments, confessions, begging and plateauing with promises that led to making love. Sam had to be at a gig for three days in Vegas on day three, and they were both scared at the prospect of being apart again, they stood in her bedroom having just packed his bag for the trip, Mercy stood on her bed and him at the door his eye ripping her skimpy panties off her near naked body "Marry me?" she asked_

_"What?" he looked into her eyes asking_

_"Marry me, I mean... please?" her vulnerability showing in hr eyes as she stood waiting for his response_

_"Yes" he laughed, his bottom lip trembling as he went running towards her, his mind was full "Yes" as they both fell onto the bed "I'm not going, I want to be with you"_

_"You have to go" she giggled, happy for the response_

_"Why now, after all this time?" he took his head out of her neck to look at her asking "I'm not changing my mind or anything I just want to know"_

_"I don't want to leave you again, that's it"_

_"Nor I you" he kissed her nose telling her_

_"I guess I realised there's all this fame stuff and then, there's you" she smiled_

_"We do try our best to make things hard" he grabbed her chin and kissed her lips_

**_End of Flashback_ **


	3. Chapter 3

**Falmouth**

He was deep in thought when he felt her jerk in his lap "Are you not getting any sleep?" he asked his eyes still closed

"I will, I'm not tired yet, I'm thinking, and the rides noisy"

"Well could you think quieter, you disturbed me"

"How the hell is my thinking disturbing you?" she laughed looking up at him, his eyes still closed

"Just think quieter" he chuckled, Mercy lay back in his lap to get back into her thoughts "I heard you, you just lay on my lap and had an orgasm" he bent to whisper in her ear "Was I that good?"

"You wish" she chuckled

"What" he opened his eyes and looked down at her "I wasn't there?"

"Yes Evans it was you" she smiled

"Which time?" he rested his head back on the built in pillow

"When you were talking me into doing that first film"

"I remember that" his hand left her shoulder and ventures down the front of her skirt, moving her panties out the way, her legs easing apart at the feel of him, he moved to get comfortable in the chair, his hand worked his wife, her breathing heavy as she neared her goal

"Babe" she moaned, smiling with relief when he made quick work of releasing that pent up stress she didn't know she was holding

"Now will you get some sleep?" he asked a sleepy Mercy

"Yeah" she snuggled in, her eyes already closed, he stretched down and pulled her blanket further over her, it was his turn to sit waiting for sleep to come, smiling as he remembered the time she spoke about

**Flashback**

**Saturday**

_He had just made headline news with his version of **'Empty Space' by James Arthur**  which had gone through the roof, the song was something he'd got in his head from when Mercy and he had split up just out of college, they'd both promised one day they'd put what they wanted to say back then to song and this was his contribution, there were sad bits, of course, but in essence it was a love song, they'd listened to it together the first time it aired, he really didn't care about the rave, he was just happy he'd gotten closure on a bad part of his life, he was more than ready for this next chapter. He'd been asked to do an interview at the Ella show, every one who was anyone wanted to be on that show, so of course he said yes. He'd sat for nearly half an hour answering questions about old songs, future ventures and a recent collaboration and was at ease, even enjoying the interview when things took the wrong turn_

_"So" Ella, wiggled in her chair eager to ask the question **"I don't see you, you're not in every window I look through, and I don't miss you, you're not in every single thing I do, I don't think we're meant to be, and you are not the missing piece, I won't hear it, whenever anybody says your name, and I won't feel it, even when I'm bursting into flames, I don't regret the day I left"** she looked at him as she spoke "Strong words for a man who's supposed to be in love?"_

_"Yeah" he smiled "If you've felt that feeling..., I guess it'"_

_"So you're feeling that feeling, I mean Mercy and you, has that sort of done it's best and hit it's worst now?"_

_"I'd prefer not to answer questions about my personal life if you don't mind" he looked at her, already angry that those words were all she was taking out of it_

_"I'm actually talking about the song" she fired back "You've said before that your music is representative of your life and this definitely shouts break up, or that you've done something that needs forgiving"_

_"I guess if you say it does" he lifted his eyebrows, he could do no more, he didn't want to swear_

_"So there is a break up then?"_

_"As I said private life is private" biting his bottom lip to stop the unsavoury words escaping_

_"Okay" she sat back "The media never gets anything out of you so we, but one day we'll crack you" she smiled "I'll respect your wish today"_

_"Thank you" he smiled breathing a breath of relief_

_"Well there you have it ladies" she turned to the camera to speak "Sam Evans may be a single man again, but then again he might not be" she smiled looking back at him "But one things for sure, his song is great so go buy it" she laughed with the audience "Sam thank you for joining us tonight and we wish you all the best with your new single, get it" she laughed_

_"Thank you" he smiled, rolling his eyes at her while the audience clapped, he couldn't wait to grab his phone off the stand and get off set so he could lock himself in his changing room and call his wife_

_"Babe" he shut the dressing room door and leaned on it rolling his eyes, as he looked at his wife's face in his phone "How do you think it went?"_

_"You did great and, you look absolutely fuckable" she laughed_

_"She didn't even get the gist of the damn song"_

_"That's fine we know what its about and that's all that matters"_

_"Is that you?" he asked on hearing her name being called_

_"Yeah I got to go babe, speak later"_

_"Yeah later"_

_"Hey" she called grabbing his attention again "I'm so proud of you, and you know I love you right?"_

_"Love you right back and thanks" he smiled "Monday"_

_"Monday" she raised her eyebrows at the anticipation_

_On Monday, when they were both finally back home, they sat talking about her new script, the discussion was full of uncertainty, she was scared for her single coming out in a few days as well as going away so soon after he'd come home. he was sad about it yes, but they'd chosen this life and he had no intention of being the reason she didn't follow her dreams, he called Tina he needed help_

**_The Following Saturday_ **

_"Shit" Mercy hissed that Saturday morning on hearing the doorbell ring "Why do we always get interrupted?" she asked watching Sam slide down the bed_

_"I'll get rid of them" he laughed "And we've had five good days, what do you mean interrupt"_

_"You know what I mean" she giggled_

_"I know what you want" he laughed leaving the room "Sorry babe, it's Tina, she never listens to no" he walked back into their bedroom with Tina behind him, Tina's one sided conversation finished with a stern_

_"I'll come tomorrow see you off, we believe in you" she squeezed her hand telling her_

_"We do" Sam assured her "Bye T and thanks"_

_"Bye T" Mercy smiled, letting the quilt drop to reveal her lace covered nipples_

_"So you'll go?" he asked, distracted_

_"What if I want to be held back?" smut in her voice_

_"Babe" he frowned_

_"I already miss you..." she whined_

_"I can tell" he smiled watching her nipples harden, he leaned in to kiss her lips lightly, his hand brushed teasingly across her nipple "Come on Babe please, for me" he looked into her eyes as his hand wondered_

_He pulled her into him, his hands making easy work of the nightdress she had on, running his finger down her breastbone as he studied her breast "I can't deny" he touched her nipple smiling as she moved to keep his hand on her "I'll miss this" his head went down to replace his hand, his tongue licking her nipple, she lay feeling his lips moving slowly down her stomach. she closed her eyes and threw her head back, she knew what was coming, there was no point in arguing, pretending to resist, she was his. his lips moved her underwear out the way smiling at her noise as he invaded her body, his fingers substituting for what he knew she'd be begging for soon, as his face disappeared and her moans got louder_

_"God Sam" she gasped grabbing his hair as everything inside her rushed to the spot his magical mouth was concentrating on "This isn't fair" she moaned seconds before her body flopped and thumps of pleasure jerked through her for what seemed like a timeless age before she relaxed_

_"Of course it's fair" his head popped up smiling "It's my turn" he stood up taking his PJ bottoms off while she watched him, she loved the power she felt when he was in her hands_

_She didn't wait to be asked she grabbed hold of his butt and pulled him towards her, he was watching her and she was going to play on it, her mouth teased him for a while smiling when he tried to follow her mouth, grabbing at her head with frustration "Mercy" he gasped_

_"Sam" she smiled up at him, sat on the bed with him directly in front of her_

_"This isn't fair.." the end of his word hitching as he felt her mouth cover him, she gave it a little while waiting for his noise to start before she looked up at him, his mouth opening but not quite closing with every suck, his moans bringing hers on as they got louder, his hips bucking against her face as he pushed himself into her mouth. His hand grabbed hold of her head, she pulled it away to taking back control "God Mercy" he gasped his hand holding her head gentler than it had the first time "I'm.." he got out before his body took over and he pushed her head onto him and held it there until his frame was no longer rigid_

_"I'm definitely going to miss that" she looked up at him smiling_

_"So you're going then?"_

_"If you promise that's what's waiting for me when I get back" she laughed_

_"I'm afraid not" he smiled pushing her to lay on her back on the bed "This is what's waiting for you when you get back" he lifted her legs and pulled her to the edge of the bed, the music in the background muffled by their noise_

_"So you want me to go?" she asked as they lay catching their breath on their bed watching the afternoon sun beaming through the blinds_

_"Not want, more like need, the best we can be remember"_

_"I know but..."_

_"There are no buts Mercy, except for this one of course" he slapped her naked butt laughing "Remember the student halls, eating cold pizza, flat beer, promises?"_

_"I remember where we started Sam" she pulled herself up kissing his lips lightly_

_"So you know I got to let you go" he smiled_

_"I know" she moaned "I know you're doing what you promised back then, keeping our dream alive, and keeping us in the middle of everything, but I'm trying to do my part too"_

_"You love me don't you?"_

_"Of course I do" she looked up at him wondering where that question came from_

_"Then you're doing your part" he kissed her nose smiling "I'm going to get us something to eat and then.. " he slapped her butt again_

**End of Flashback**


	4. Chapter 4

**Discovery Bay**

"So pray tell Mr, why aren't you sleeping?" she looked up at him asking

"How did you know I wasn't sleeping?" he looked down at her asking

"I know you remember"

"I was thinking about that time when you left me at airport for that film, and how it hurt" he rubbed her arm telling her

"Thankfully that doesn't happen too much now a days"

"Thankfully" he looked down at her "That morning was quiet wasn't it?"

"Yeah till Tina and Artie broke the silence" she laughed "They were like two children around the house, kept us busy for ages and then it was time to go" she looked up at him "You pushing me away telling me to go"

"You pushed me back, telling me to go" he laughed

"And then you grabbed me and held me so tight, I could hardly breathe" she smiled "Then of course the flood gates opened" she rolled her eyes

"We were fresh at it, of course it was always going to hurt" he laughed at the young love of it all "But the film was good"

"Yeah it was" she giggled "And I still love you as much as I did leaving you that first time" she leaned up and kissed his lips

"It took so much to let you go that time, you don't even know"

"And then that song came out threatening to do even more damage, were we married by then?"

"Yes" he laughed "But we could just as easy couldn't have been, fake news and all that"

"The song blew up didn't it" she smiled, at the memory

_**Flashback** _

_Mercy was busy filming a movie, she talked to Sam nearly every day, but today she was taking time out to watch the  video to her long awaited newly released song, with him, he hadn't seen or even heard it before release day, he'd done the same with his to her, they were singing honest feelings, songs they'd written when they'd split up for those five months "Are you seeing this" Mercy screamed excited as the video started **"We went from 2am calls to zero communication, yeah, we spent too long in heaven, we felt the elevation"** shouting out on the heavy beat_

_"Yeah" Sam laughed "This is insane" he smile watching the classy video_

_"It's was trying to get over how alone I felt" she smiled, focusing back on the TV as her video played to the world for the first time " **I don't wanna be your ex, we way too good at being friends, can we still hangout, on the low, get wild, I don't wanna be your, I don't wanna be your...."**_

_"I'm sorry" Sam smiled when he realised she was crying, they'd never stopped thinking about each other, but back then they were so all about the money, fame, all that shit, they forgot to think about each other for a while, until they realised how much they were hurting themselves_

_"It was a fucked up time" she frowned, they sat on their face time call looking at each other until the song ended **"Hit ya girl up with a text, when you're alone and feeling stressed, I don't got to be in love with you, to love you, ooh, I don't wanna be your, so don't treat me like your, Ex, Ex, I don't want to be your Ex. Ex. Ex..." 'Ex' by Kiana Lede**_

_"We did enough of skirting round the subject of love didn't we?" he smiled making her smile "But we definitely got wild didn't we" he frowned "Real wild" he smiled her face changing to a frown as they sat listening to the review_

_"That's the new long awaited single coming from Mercy Evans in reply to her husbands, or we might be saying ex-husbands, newly released song saying it's over just as much as hers is. Could this be a very public relationship crash going on here, reports say they have been fairly distant these past few months with Mr Evans spending a week in New York alone directly before Mrs Evans went off to some secret location filming another full length movie" the news presenter speaking seemed to actually believe the shit she was spouting. "The powerful words of the song **'Just 'cause it's different and we're not the same, doesn't mean things have to change, I got no trouble with my pride, got trouble cutting ties'** telling us all we're witnessing what seems like a messy ending to what was once a beautiful relationship" her face solemn as the closeup made what she was saying sound like fact_

_"Are you hearing this?" Mercy asked ending the silence_

_"They love their fake news" he laughed "We knew this was going to happen"_

_"What did you think, that's all that matters?"_

_"It was your feelings and I respect them, hear them, and know you'll never feel like that again" he looked into her eyes telling her_

_"Thank you babe" she cooed_

_"How's filming going"_

_"Oh I have a song to record tomorrow, apparently I'm a bad bitch in love" she laughed_

_"You're alright with singing, yeah?" his voice full of concern, her eyes searching his face for where this was going, it was an unusual question, she was always alright with singing_

_"Yeah, I'm happy about it"_

_"How are you getting on with Tyrone?"_

_"He's fine, he's the leading man, I'm going to get on with him Sam" she giggled rolling her eyes, that was it, he was jealous of this damn man again. Their paths had crossed on several occasions in her so far short career, they'd done a music video, an advert, compared a talk show for a season and were now playing lead with each other. Back in the beginning he'd gone there, he knew she was with Sam, knew they were getting married and still he asked her out, of course she'd told Sam about it, there was nothing to hide she wasn't guilty of anything, and she'd put Tyrone straight and it seemed to work because after that they'd never had any bad words "Go stand in the mirror"_

_"What?"_

_"Stand in the mirror" she giggled_

_"Okay" he picked the laptop up and moved off towards the bedroom "I'm here what am I looking at?"_

_"Tell me what you're looking at"_

_"Myself, the bed in the background, see that?" he moved the lap top to show her "Our bed, tidy, empty" he laughed putting the laptop down in front of the mirror_

_"What colour are those eyes of yours?"_

_"Green why?" he looked at her puzzled_

_"What colour green?" she asked watching him look up at the mirror to check_

_"Green Mercy, you know what colour my eyes are" he touched his lips at the thought of her looking into his eyes, she always touched his lips when she did that_

_"I also know that you just touched your lips because I mentioned those eyes of mine, and your hand's are thinking about something else right now"_

_"And?" he laughed_

_"Just like I'm all over that, you're all over this Evans, chill"_

_"I'm chilled Evans" he laughed "Tyrone ain't nothing"_

_"Say that till you believe it"_

_"I believe it"_

_"Good" she giggled "Now can we leave that mess there? I'm itching for what's waiting for me" she laughed_

_"What's waiting for you is itching" he laughed "Get of the call" he told her before things got out of hand_

_"Okay, they're calling me anyway" she giggled turning as they called her name "Bye"_

_**End of Flashback** _

**Tina & Artie's Story**

"Viral" he smiled "What do you reckon our little Godson's up to now?" he asked excitedly, they were always up for seeing Junior, they hadn't seen him for over six months, and although Tina or Artie hadn't actually mentioned it, they knew they were feeling they were neglecting their duties

"He's always going to be good, we know who his parents are" Mercy smiled

_**Flashback** _

_Mercy and Tina had started taking some classes together in year two at college, they got talking because Mercy was more than impressed with her designs, the relationship quickly turned into a friendship as they learned they could pull each other up that lonely road they were planning on entering called showbusiness. Tina had her head screwed on and encouraged Mercy to keep focused, they were a good team._

_Artie was like a dance guru, he was well known on campus, renown for busting a move in the canteen, everyone always joined in with music, dancing or singing, there was always a good time to be had if Artie was around. Mercy and he had sung recitals a few times and got some good grades their voices were good together, and they'd become friends.  One afternoon as they sat watching him from across the football field dancing and chatting to a crowd of people who were obviously trying to learn a dance routine from him, Mercy caught Tina drooling_

_"You like him don't you?"_

_"Who?" Tina asked smiling_

_"Artie Abrams" Mercy told her "Be honest"_

_"I don't want to be honest with you Mercy Jones because you have this tendency to call a girl out, in front of a fucking guy" she laughed_

_"So... that's a yes then?"_

_"To everyone else in the world I might call it a yes but to you..."_

_"I wouldn't do anything you didn't want me to T, you know that" she giggled_

_"Thing is Merc I don't have to talk for you to act, I've already said too damn much"_

_"Stop being such a killjoy, you like him yeah?"_

_"Yeah" she smiled_

_"Then life's too fucking short girl" she got up telling her friend "Trust me when I tell you, you two were meant for each other"_

_"Mercy" Tina jumped up to follow her "Don't you dare do this" she hissed at her "I'm warning you"_

_"You'll thank me, I promise" she smirked_

_"Mercy" she walked fast with her across the field "Don't do this"_

_"Tina" she stopped to look at her friend "It will be fine, he's into you too"_

_"How do you know that?"_

_"I have eyes girl, we talk, he's a friend, trust me" she turned to carry on her journey, almost marching until she got to him "Artie" she called stopping directly behind him, not a care for the conversation he was having when she got to him "Can I have a word?" she asked smiling_

_"Mercy, sure" he turned, his eyes smiling at the sight of Tina standing behind her_

_"Here she is, do your thing" she told him turning to look at Tina before stepping off_

_"Sorry" Tina mumbled embarrassed as hell_

_"I'm not, I asked for an intro, but I didn't think she'd do it like that" he laughed_

_"Her middle names Romantic" Tina laughed, shouting that after her_

_"I actually knew that" he laughed, waving a thank you to Mercy, and that was the beginning of that beautiful relationship_

_"See you guys at the alter, mark my words" she waved at them as she walked "And I'll sing that song" she pointed at Tina as she walked backwards, Tina didn't have to ask which one she'd had it on repeat for the longest time_

**_End of Flashback_ **

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Runaway Bay**

"We'll be there in less than ten minutes" Sam disturbed her thoughts telling her

"I cant wait to see.." she jumped up from her nap to look out the window "..Everyone when they get there" she giggled sitting up to straighten herself up "How do I look?" she took her seat belt off and turned to him asking

"Seriously?" he asked "Then there's you" he smirked making her giggle, she sat watching him re-fasten her seatbelt

"Thanks" she offered a kiss by way of a thank you, ten minutes later they were driving through their hotel gates

**The Royal Decameron Club**

They got out of the car into this cool bamboo ceiling, air conditioned, well thought out reception building, a jumpy **'Bruk Off Yuh Back' by Konshens & Chris Brown** coming through the speakers dotted around the place letting them know they were in Jamaica, staff moved around quickly opening doors, offering cool drinks and loading their bags, a smiling receptionist waiting to direct them to their apartment

"Good Evening Sir, Madam" the excited young woman smiled at them, her Jamaican accent almost American, it was obvious she knew who they were

"Good Evening" Mercy smiled, while Sam offered a smile

"You're in one of the West Beach cottages, that's number 2, the bag boy will take you there" she smiled so wide Sam was scared it was going to stick "Enjoy your stay"

"Thank you, I'm sure we will" Sam laughed watching the poor girl swoon

"Could you tell us where the Abrams Family are?" Mercy stepped back to ask

"West Beach 1 Mrs Evans" the receptionist told her

"Thank you" Sam said again laughing at the girls reaction

"Sam" Mercy nudged him to behave, following the man with their bags to their apartment

"What?" he laughed "I'm getting ready for that mating call you been sending me" he laughed

"You're already listening to too much Konshens" she laughed

They got through the cottage door dropped their bags and grabbed each other, it was nearly half an hour before they found the shower, a full hour after arrival they were knocking Cottage 1 "Evening" Mercy shouted excitedly as the door opened, her arms already open for whoever opened the door "It's great to finally see you guys" her arms open as Tina fell into them

"Girl I've missed you" Tina hugged her just as excited "Come in" she moved to the side to let them in, hugging Sam as he passed

"Artie" Sam smiled seeing him stood with the remote in his hand, they all greeted each other before getting comfortable

"Junior's asleep" Artie told them "The Island the music everything just says... you know" he laughed "We were lucky to get him to sleep"

"We got here an hour ago" Sam nodded his head smiling

"We'll see him later" Mercy butted in, waving her hands about, telling them to stop the crass conversation "So I'm excited for you guys finally jumping the broom"

"Me too, even though it feels a lot like closing the gate after the horse has bolted" Tina smiled

"Having Junior first doesn't matter, you guys were always going to get to this point" Sam told her

"Yep, I remember predicting it" Mercy laughed

"You did" Tina smiled "Remember the song you promised?"

"Yep" Mercy snapped excitedly

"I'm just glad you guys could get here" Artie smiled

"Yeah" Tina laughed "As much as you made us cringe on that day, I hold you responsible for this relationship" she pointed at Mercy her eyes like slits before she laughed

"I ordered a babysitter, she's due in about 10 minutes, I told her to bring Junior to us when he wakes up" Artie told them "We can go take a walk, have a drink or something"

"You sure you want to leave him with a sitter?" Mercy asked concerned

"He's talking about Jeana, his Mother" Tina laughed slapping him lightly on the shoulder

"Oh" Mercy smiled "I haven't met her before"

"I shouldn't worry about it, I didn't meet her until about a week before Junior was born" Tina looked at Artie telling Mercy

"I'm hoping yours is better than mine" Sam looked at Artie frowning

"Seriously, much better" Artie smiled as they all took a moment to remember the woman, Gail

**_Flashback_ **

_Mercy has been fidgety since the previous night, there were several things about the wedding that didn't sit right with her, Sam's Mom had never got on with her for whatever reason. There'd been several disagreement, over the past eleven months since she'd met the woman._

_She should have known from the off that she was never going to be her favourite daughter-in-law, she kept calling her all random names and hardly ever made the effort when Mercy came over, Sam was always on edge when they left the house and although he never said it, she knew when she wasn't with him she was a major topic of conversation, it was a disaster waiting to happen. it was her fault, she'd forced him into take her to meet his family, they'd been to her family several times after she'd proposed and everything was fine, she felt he wasn't being real about things and forced the issues, big mistake_

_Gail had said some nasty things to her since she'd been with Sam the near very last one being the night before their pending wedding, Mercy couldn't catch her breath, and although she hardly ever ran to Sam with the bull shit this time there was no choice_

_"I forgot to tell you earlier your dress looks like a sack" Gail announced as they stood in the kitchen_

_"What?" Mercy gasped so loud Tina heard it from across the kitchen "What did you say?" Mercy asked again, the woman had watched and been unwantedly involved in six clear months of prepping, measuring, alterations and everything else before coming at her with that, the day before the damn wedding_

_"I said the thing looks like a sack" she stood her hands on her hips, looking Mercy from toe to head, her face showing pleasure in the hurt she'd caused, Mercy saw herself standing there actually boxing the bitch to the ground, she was brought to reality by Rachel's voice_

_"That's so cruel" Rachel walked over to Mercy telling Gail, she'd heard enough of Mercy's stories to know this wasn't a first_

_"It's fine Rachel, she's just jealous I'm with her son, she'll get over it" Mercy told her pulling her back out of the woman's face "Leave it"_

_"Leave what?" Sam walked into the kitchen asking_

_"Nothing" Mercy flashed him a smile trying to lighten the air telling him_

_"It wasn't nothing" Tina blurted out before Mercy could stop her, she was more than pissed that the woman was dissing her work "Your Mom told Mercy her dress was a damn sack" she told him_

_"A what?" Sam looked at his Mom asking_

_"It's fine" Mercy told him still trying to keep the peace the day before her wedding_

_"It's not" Sam hissed still looking at his Mom_

_"Sam" she grabbed his hand as he went to step to his Mom "Please, not today, it's fine"_

_"Yeah it's fine Sam" Gail smirked as she spoke "I've invited some people I'm sure you'll both be pleased to see tomorrow"_

_"Who?" he asked aware Mercy still had hold of him_

_"You'll see" she turned and walked over to the fridge_

_"Mercy" Sam turned to talk to her, to tell her once again that his Mom was jealous, scared, anything but sincere_

_"It's fine Sam" she let go of his arm and walked away, Rachel and Tina following her, both looking back at Sam shaking their heads with disgust_

_"I'll see you tomorrow at the church" he called after her, he was still standing waiting for a response seconds later and she'd long left the kitchen_

**_Gail & Sam's conversation_ **

_"What the hell is wrong with you Mom, why can't you just accept my choice?" he spun round to look at his Mom_

_"She's not the right girl for you Sam" she turned with another gin and tonic in her hand_

_"I decide who the right girl is Mom, that's not up to you, don't make me choose" he warned_

_"You'd never choose her over me" her eyes telling him she'd never let that happen "You can still call all this off" she walked towards him resting her hand on his chest_

_"We're getting married Mom" he brushed her hand off him and walked away "And I will choose her over you, every damn day" he turned to tell her, that had made Gail's blood boil_

**_Sam & Mercy's Conversation_ **

_"Mercy" he knocked on the bathroom door waiting for an answer "Mercy" he called again when she didn't respond "Let me in"_

_"She's fine Sam, just give us a minute" Rachel called_

_"Rachel let me in" his voice sharp_

_"Sam I'm fine, I'll be out in a minute" Mercy called_

_"Open the door babe, please" he turned the handle asking her, standing back as he heard the lock release "I'm sorry about my Mom" his eyes sad as he looked down at her wet face_

_"She's always going to be like this Sam, I don't want to come between you and your Mom"_

_"You're not, she's coming between us" he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him "I'm praying she'll change once tomorrow is over, but if she doesn't I'm ready to walk away, I refuse to live like this, I can't have you feeling like this every time she opens her damn mouth"_

_"And I can't be the reason you and your Mom's relationship goes sour"_

_"Mom's the reason, not you" he pulled her to him, she closed her eyes to take in the closeness, she hadn't been hugged like he hugged her since her Mom had remarried, there was something so warm about his arm being wrapped around her waist like this she knew what they had was right, it was all she needed after a knock like Gail had just dealt, she let her body relax in his hand, the feel of her sinking into him bringing a smile to his face. She stood wondering how a woman like Gail had managed to raise a child like Sam, he was everything she wasn't, he respected her, treated her like his equal and yet when she needed it cradled her like a precious baby, everything melted away "Are we going to be alright?" he asked watching her head lift off his chest, his free hand brushing her hair back off her face_

_"We're fine as long as nothing else happens" she smiled up at him_

_"You guys sorted" Rachel came out the bathroom asking_

_"Yeah" Mercy smiled looking up at Sam_

_"I know Mercy told me to keep out of this, but Sam, you need to speak to your Mom she's out of order" Tina grabbed Mercy's hand telling him_

_"I will" he pulled Mercy into him with his hand still around her waist "Just give us a minute please" he looked down at their friends asking_

_"A minute" Rachel warned walking away with Tina_

_"I love you, you know that right?" he looked at her asking_

_"Yeah I know that, and you know I love you right?"_

_"Yeah" he smiled, pulling her to rest on his chest again, his head resting on top of her head, this time he needed the closeness "So you're going to come see me at church tomorrow?"_

_"Sure" she giggled looking up at him_

_"Then I can let you go, just for tonight mind" he laughed grabbing her lips for a second "You need to go before I change my mind and keep you here" he let her go and watched her walk away, a smile on his face, tomorrow she was going to be the Mrs Evans and his Mom was going to move aside_

_**End of Flashback** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I started this without much thought, but I've found a direction so, it might take some time to pull it all together, but hopefully it will be worth reading
> 
> Suggestions welcome - As long as it's for Glee


	6. Chapter 6

**Artie & Tina's Cottage**

"So how's little man been?" Sam asked their Godson's parents

"Talk of the lovechild" Tina smiled at the 5 year old peeping his head round the door, his face lighting up at the sight of his Godparents

"Uncle Sam" he ran towards him giggling, he knew he was always sure to have fun with him around, Junior obviously excited there were too many hands there to pay him attention, Mercy put her phone on the coffee table to grab her Godson as he dived at her, he had all his Mom's features, with black shiny hair and short teeth, but his Dad's quirky humorous charisma and mannerisms were undeniable, it was funny to watch him play out these two people with ease, making them into himself.

"Come on, while he's up lets go see what's on offer" Tina jumped up suggesting "We can stop by Mom's on the way" she laughed at Junior jumped on Sam's back, without asking, a short while later they were walking around the complex to Artie's parents Cottage, Junior being flown like an aeroplane on Sam's back, Tina and Mercy's hearts in their mouths

"He's excited for being so free" Artie looked up at his over excited son

"Yeah, we tend to do everything in the house, it's not fair on him, we don't get out much" Tina told her "So we compensate by trying to make sure he has everything" she smiled almost guilty at her choice "More work than play, you know?"

"We know" Mercy rolled her eyes, knowing full well what she meant "We didn't realise just how much commitment this thing needed when we opted for it, did we?"

"We didn't, but I don't think I'd change anything" Tina smiled

"Me neither, except maybe gotten married sooner" Mercy laughed, watching the men walk off towards Jeana's cottage

"And if I follow fake news, you guys have broken up haven't you?"

"So many times" Mercy waved her hand around waving off the conversation "As you know, we're fine" she smiled

"She knows she's fine, I tell her every damn day" Sam walked back to them handing Mercy her mobile "Here" he made a point of giving it to her, she rarely moved without it attached so he noticed when she left it on the coffee table at Artie's "You alright?"

"Yeah" she looked at him wondering why he'd asked

"Let's see my parents and then get something to eat and drink" Artie suggested

"Sure" Sam replied his eyes leaving Mercy for a second

"Junior" Artie shouted, smiling when his son reached towards him, it was his turn to give him a back ride

They went to meet Jeana and Daniel; Artie's parents, dropped Junior off and went in search of some entertainment, spending the rest of the evening catching up, talking about the future, Mercy and Tina looking at new designs, talking weddings and arrangements while Sam and Artie talked about their aspirations, musically the evening belonged to **Kranium,** everyone got up to have a dance when **'Nobody Has To Know'** Artie's favourite, came on

Artie's parents and Junior finally found them again, Sam as usual, started behaving like a child to entertain Junior, before dinner happened "Blaine and Kurt's coming tomorrow I hear" Tina enquired as they made the short walk back to their cottage

"Yeah" Sam smiled excited "Kurt's quirky, in a good way"

"I'm happy the loves still there since college" Artie smiled

"So's ours" Tina told him frowning

"It is" Mercy smiled getting close enough to hug Sam

"You alright?" Artie looked at Sam muttering

"Yeah why?" he replied

"You've been a bit quiet tonight, I thought maybe you had something on your mind" Artie tapped his shoulder telling him

"I'm fine" he smiled, Mercy looked up at him concerned, he'd definitely tensed when Artie asked him that, she knew talk about his Mom lasted for ever in his head, and brought him to a bad place, he'd never masked it before, but maybe because Artie's parents were around he was trying to be on his best behaviour, he looked down at Mercy a smile on his face that wasn't real

She didn't say anything they were in company, she smiled when he suggested they sit and watch the night sky for a while, they said goodnight to everyone and made their way to a rocky, romantic part along the secluded private beach "Penny for them" Mercy sat on the sand looking up at him standing skimming stones across the water

"For?"

"Your thoughts, I don't know where all that with my phone came from earlier, but I'm guessing it' all connected"

"That was nothing, you left it, I know you don't usually so I picked it up"

"Sam" she frowned at him, they'd agreed no work, so he knew she didn't even need it

"It's nothing honestly"

"And what?" she sat forward looking at him, he rolled his eyes at the drama that was about to happen with her now "You think this is a first date situation?" she asked, referring to their first date when they left all the bad stuff out

"I didn't say that..."

"Either say everything or we've got nothing else to say to each other and you know how I can get with that" she huffed

"It's talking about it all just brought it back that's all" he looked out at the sea "I try not to think about it again, but when I saw your phone I just thought I wouldn't be able to contact you if you didn't have your damn phone"

"Fuck her" she hissed getting up to go to him "We agreed"

"I know" he told her through his teeth, he was breaking a promise he'd made her on their wedding day by just thinking about this woman

"She hurt us Sam"

"I know, and I'm sorry but you asked" he turned to hug her "It's like a fucking recurring nightmare" he stood holding her flashes going through his mind

_**Flashback** _

_**Sam's Flashback** _

_He'd woke up rubbing his eyes and feeling pain in his back, he remembered seeing Mercy off the night before their wedding and getting into another argument with his Mom about the wedding she claimed wasn't going to happen unless it was over her dead body, he'd told her to prepare to die, the angry words had left a bitter taste in his mouth and he'd gone in on the brandy. He woke up the next morning looking around his unfamiliar surroundings wondering where the hell he was, "Mom" he shouted holding his head for the rebound, he forcefully lifted himself off the bed, instantly feeling dizzy, "God how much did I..." he lay back down and closed his eyes "My wedding" he bounced back up suddenly sober, he sat up on the side of the bed, his legs hit the floor as he grabbed for his phone "Shit" he opened his eyes fully for not finding it where he routinely put it. He looked down at himself to see he was still fully dressed, he got up and searched his pockets, finding nothing not even his wallet, he went nowhere without it, he was worried "What have you done Mom?" he looked around the room before heading to the window, he didn't recognise anything._

_He scanned the room again, his eyes searching for his phone as he sunk his feet into his shoes unbuttoned the top button on he shirt and grabbed his jacket leaving the room to go find out where he was "Good morning Sir" the receptionist smiled as he got to the counter, it was obvious she knew who he was_

_"Morning" he replied politely "I was in room... I don't actually know, I just need to know how I got here and where I am"_

_"You're in Bend in Oregon Sir"_

_"How far is that from Medford?"_

_"About 3 hours Sir" she smiled_

_"How did I get here?"_

_"I think you came in with a young man and an elderly lady Sir, stag night I think she said" her smile genuine_

_"Stag night?" he asked not expecting an answer "What time is it?"_

_"Nearly 2.30pm Sir"_

_"Shit" he hit the table, even by air he wasn't going to make his own wedding "Could I get a cab on the room tab, and could I use a phone please, I'll charge everything to this tab so don't close it down until I get back in maybe an hour or so" he ordered the receptionist_

_"Yes Sir" she smiled, handing him a phone before getting on with his request_

_He called Mercy's phone banging the receiver down when it went to answer machine, then tried Rachel's getting the same, he was restricted on numbers everything was in his mobile, he knew this was all on his Mom but right now he couldn't think of anyone else to call "Mom" he called as she answered "What are you playing at?"_

_"I told you over my dead body" she laughed_

_"Where's Mercy?"_

_"She's at the church, can you believe the nerve of that bitch"_

_"You know this is the end of us don't you?"_

_"I know" joy in her voice "And you'll thank me one day"_

_"I mean the end of us Mom, I don't have a Mother anymore"_

_"Oh but you do" she laughed "I'm the only one you'll find by your side at the end of all this"_

_"What have you done to Mercy Mom?"_

_"Forget her Sam" she told him putting the phone down on him, he knew she was going to make sure Mercy backed out, she'd promised him that, over her dead body_

_"Sir your cabs here" the receptionist told him as he stood with the dead phone in his hand_

_"Thank you" he smiled turning to leave the hotel and jump in the cab "Airport please" he told her driver_

_Airport?" the cabbie asked_

_"Is there another word for it?" he snapped_

_"No Sir"_

_"How long will it take?"_

_"At a guess I'd say about 25 minutes Sir"_

_"Make it in 15 minutes" he sat back telling him "Actually, will you stop at the nearest BA?" he asked, to the drivers nod, he got to the bank, it took a while but he removed his Mom from his accounts, and got himself new cards, maybe she needed reminding that she lived the way she did because of him and sometimes even Mercy, his next stop was at the phone shop replacing his missing phone, tapping in his code and connecting to the internet he was set back up and checked in before he got to the airport_

_**End of Flashback** _


	7. Chapter 7

_**Mercy's Flashback** _

_Mercy sat in the back of the car Gail had set up for her trying to cry, she'd never done anything to this woman for her to treat her this way, she'd only ever shown her son love, tried to love her and understand how she felt at the prospect of losing her son. She couldn't ask anything more of Sam by way of support, no way was she willing to go as far as to asking him to tell his Mother to get the fuck out of their lives, she knew how not having a parent felt, let alone not having any, and no way would she ever wish that on anyone else, regardless of how selfish and disrespectful the woman was towards her._

_She'd made noises of frustration for a while until she realised the car was moving and she hadn't told it where to go, or even asked where it was going "Excuse me" she tapped the window trying to get his attention "Excuse me" she tapped it again, a smiling man turned to look at her_

_"Yes Miss?"_

_"Where are you taking me?"_

_"That depends on who you want me to listen to" he smiled_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I had instruction from Mrs Evans asking me to take you to Carson City where you came from" he looked in his mirror at her "But yesterday I has instruction from Mr Evans asking me to ask you to go back to Malibu, if this situation arose"_

_"Malibu?" she asked wondering what Sam was up to and how he knew his Mom would try something, of course she was all up for Malibu, it was home and she loved that man, maybe once she was the new Mrs Evans his Mom would have to live with it "By Car?" she asked_

_"Yes Miss" he looked in his mirror again as he addressed her, she scrambled in her case and smiled when she found a suitable dress_

_"I need to stop off get out of this damn dress" she smiled for maybe the third time on this day that should have been her wedding day "Rachel was right, we've worked too hard at this to drop it now" she sat back in her chair saying to herself "I need your phone" she jumped forward telling the driver_

_"Yes Miss Jones" he handed her his mobile, she called Sam and got no answer and called Tina a couple of times before she remembered their phones had been switched off and left in Rachell's bag_

_**End of Flashback** _

"Sam" she called realising where her mind had been for the last few minutes "Sam" she called again when he took no notice of her "We need to stop thinking about this or do something about it"

"I could so easily do nothing about it" he looked up at the sky telling her "Mercy I need some time" he looked over his shoulder telling her

"That's fine" she sat down looking at him for a short while before she got up to find their cottage

"Where are you going?" he looked around asking her when she moved

"Giving you some time" she stopped to tell him

"Not from you, to get this stuff out my head" he walked towards her smiling "You're freezing" shocked at the touch of her skin "Come on lets freshen up, it's going to be a long day tomorrow" he smiled playfully grabbing at her butt as they walked towards the cottage

"Stop it" she giggled moving her butt out of his reach as he chased it around "Sam" she slapped his hand off her breast "Behave"

"We've got privacy, but if you need to be indoors, I can wait" he grinned looking around

"Sam" she rolled her eyes giggling with him, she knew what was coming, this wasn't his mood, it was his coping strategy

"I know you're up for it" he kissed her neck telling her

"What's new?" she asked shushing him as they walked past the row of cottages to get to theirs "Junior's asleep" she put her hand in his trouser pocket and got the key out giggling as she let them in, turning to give him that cheeky smile of hers before they entered the cottage

As soon as they were in the door his hands were wondering around her body, he turned her round to face the door and kissed her neck, Mercy let out a groan at the force with which her face hit the door as his urgency showed itself "Are you alright?" he whispered in her ear his hands still removing her clothes

"I'm fine" she gasped pushing herself off the door in an attempt to turn to face him, but he didn't allow it, he pushed her back onto the door

"Babe I don't have much time" his hand invaded her body with some force, his free hand holding her to the door as he felt his hormones rushing through his body like a river, he leaned on her back to keep her in place, as if he was afraid she might get away, while he used the same free hand to strip himself. Before she could think what to do next he was inside her moving fast, hard and deep, the pleasure passing through him taking over as he concentrated on his goal.

Mercy stood letting him have his way, there wasn't anything she wanted to do different about this, she knew he'd been mad about his Mom, and that he'd be having a hard time expressing his feelings, especially with their ban on that subject right now, this was his way sometimes. they both had their way of releasing what they called dangerous tension, she shouted a hell of a lot, he had sex, rough and hard. She sighed in pleasure, she's already given herself over to his demands, she smiled at knowing that although he was hurting her he was doing his best to be gentle and that she wouldn't trust anyone else to be so deliciously rough with her.

"I'm sorry babe" he whispered in her ear as he rammed into her, unable and unwilling to calm his passion, she smiled at his concern even now, her hand went up and grabbed the back of his neck pulling his head down into her neck, her head raised for him to suck the life out of it "Shit Merc" he grabbed hold of her tighter, his body icy cold, his mouth, that had been dry moments before filled with water, as his muscles flexed power for a few seconds before it started to collapse and shiver as what felt like miniature balloons burst inside him, jerking his body uncontrollably

"You are so lucky Junior's still asleep" she turned telling him a smile on her face, as she looked out the window at the baby sleeping next door

"Sorry" he kissed her shoulder hugging her

"Don't apologise" she turned to hug him "We know us" she pulled him off to the shower, they were in and out the shower in minutes, him walking around the bedroom naked as he watched her doing her hair ready for the night "Are you not going to bed?" she asked as she walked over and got into bed, watching him walking around the room

"Yeah" he smiled crawling over her to get to his side of the bed, kissing her neck and biting her ear as he lay next to her "I love you, you know that right?"

"I know that" she giggled at him tickling her neck with his nose

His nose turned into his lips and soon turned to him gently biting her skin, savouring her smell before he tasted each erogenous zone on her body, his way of saying sorry, she watched as he made his way down the bed kissing her breast, belly his lips grazing over her navel as he hovered over her watching her tummy rise and fall, he teased for a while moving between her tummy and her bikini line, smiling as her urgency grew "You alright?" he asked teasing her

"I'm fine" she told him her voice floating as his shoulders eased her leg up, his eyes looking at her core in admiration, kissing the inside of the thighs and sucking on another of her zones, just beside her core, her movement making her glisten as he took in the fresh smell of coco butter on her body. He wrapped his arms around her legs and pulled her closer to his face, burying his mouth in her wetness, and staying there until he felt her walls close tight around his fingers and a sound of relief left her mouth

He flopped down next to her, smiling as she curled into him "I'm really sorry about earlier, I should have warned you"

"Sam" she rolled her eyes at him "Get some sleep" she pulled his arm tighter around her, they closed their eyes, thinking waiting for sleep to come

**_Flashback_ **

_It was nearing 8pm by the time he finally got to the church in Malibu Beach "Reverend" he smiled as he neared Ralph; his brother's best friend "Good to see you, is everything set?"_

_"As set as it's going to be, I can't believe your Mom's still doing this stuff. I thought she'd have changed by now"_

_"I've had the last conversation I'm ever having about that woman, I'm done with her"_

_"I am sorry to hear that Sam"_

_"I was planning this, but there was never a minute I thought I was going to have to use it" he shook his head_

_"And I hear that, I really do but... she's your Mother"_

_"Which is why this shouldn't be necessary, all this is too much it will break us"_

_"So surely if a little jealously from your Mom is enough to break you..."_

_"No it isn't, but this isn't just a little jealously, I believe she'd harm her"_

_"Surely not" Ralph gasped_

_"Have I ever lied to you?" Sam asked looking at Ralph, his face serious "I'm praying Mercy will be here soon, then I have some talking to do" he smiled walking away, he called Mercy again "Mercy" the smile on his face at the thought of her wanting to talk to him "Oh Rachel" his voice flat as Rachel explained that she had Mercy's phone_

_"So where is she?" he stopped her conversation asking_

_"I don't know, you're Mom brought that Brittany in her face, she couldn't take anymore, she left"_

_"I can't believe that damn woman" he hissed_

_"She was in a bad way when she left, and she really doesn't want to come between you and your Mom, you know that"_

_"Okay" he told her closing the call, ten minutes later Rachel, Tina, Kurt, Artie, Blaine, Quinn, and Mercy's Family were there, and still all he had of her was her phone_

_"It's nearly 10pm Sam" Ralph told him concerned they were waiting for nothing_

_"Just give her another half an hour please Ralph" he looked up from her phone "I don't believe it, she's got that damn woman's number in her phone"_

_"What woman's number?" Mercy stood at the door asking_

_"Mercy" he jumped up smiling, his heart felt warm as he walked fast towards her "You came" he grabbed hold of her hand pulling her into him_

**_End of Flashback_ **

That was how he felt just now as he looked at his wife laying in his arms

"Feels like that for me too" she told him, her eyes closed


	8. Chapter 8

**Thursday**

"Morning" She woke up stretching smiling at Sam sitting watching her

"Morning" he smiled back at her "It's a beautiful morning too, you want to come out and see it?"

"I'd love to" she pushed the covers off her telling him, swinging her feet off the bed and jumping up

"I found this spot on the beach, secluded, rocks all around it real private" he smiled

"Sam Evans" she grinned

"What?" he laughed "Because you thought of it and I found it?"

"No because you're invading my damn dreams" she laughed running off to the bathroom "I need to pee"

"Hurry up" he slapped her butt as she went past him, it didn't take long for her to sort herself out before they went in search of this secret place Sam had found, love making was always sweet in the open air, and absolutely invigorating in the mornings  

"Where are we going?" Mercy asked, smiling some thirty minutes later as Sam pulled her in the opposite direction to their cottage

"To get breakfast"

"With this sand in my damn hair and everywhere else, I think not" she rubbed her hair and pulled him the other way towards the cottage, jumping in the shower "Come on it's nearly 9am we'll miss breakfast at this rate" she got up from the dresser tying her hair back with a band before grabbing his hand and making their way to the breakfast room "Rachel's due in this morning about 11am" she told him before popping some fruit into her mouth

"What do you think her first words to me are going to be this time?" he laughed "After the name calling of course"

"If she's calling I'm calling" Mercy laughed "That girl needs to own up to her own fuck ups" she replied

"How was I supposed to know she was going to take Blaine seriously"

"How was Blaine to know?" Mercy asked him laughing

"Surely the fact that he'd never kissed her would have been a clue there was something else going on there?"

"He told her several times, so I don't know how it turned out to all be your fault" she laughed "Anyway that was all so long ago, there's all that stuff with Quinn she has to sort out, I know she regrets all that, and I'd like to believe there's still a chance for them"

"Quinn was good for her, it's been nearly four years since all that"

"Are you just saying that because she was an ex?"

"She wasn't a fucking ex, she was a friend for a while" he cut his eye at her "Where's this argumentative Mercy crept in from?"

"I'm not even arguing, maybe I'm tired, too much activity too early in the morning"

"You never have too much activity, maybe it's the fake news thing"

"I know it's fake honest" she turned to peck his lips "But you must admit it was believable at the time"

"I guess with, she who can not be talked about, behind it anything was believable" he huffed before they sat in silence, Mercy thinking about that terrible day, when his Mom had taken it to the end of whatever relationship Sam or her could have had with the woman

**_Flashback_ **

_"Morning" Rachel woke up to Mercy sitting on her bed "Didn't you sleep at all?"_

_"Yeah but..." she grinned "It's my wedding day and I'm hell of a excited"_

_"I'm excited and it's not even my wedding" Rachel laughed "Everything will be fine" she sat up telling her friend_

_"I know but I'd really love to get on with his Mom"_

_"We can't always be in control of everything we want Mercy"_

_"True" she smiled_

_"But you can have Sam in like..." she looked at her phone "..six hours" she grinned "Come on food and then we'll get you ready"_

_"What time is Tina coming?"_

_"After breakfast" Rachel replied_

_They sat in the hotel breakfast room picking at food as they talked, wasting over an hour, eventually giving up on trying to eat, they caught up with Tina in the spa before hair and make up arrived and finally they were back up in their suite "Okay phone's off I know that man of yours" Rachel laughed, taking the three phones and turning them off "I'll put yours in my bag and hand it back just before you go on your honeymoon" she wiggled her eyes making Mercy laugh_

_All the pampering was finally over and two hours later Rachel and Tina stood in their bespoke, curtesy of Miss Cohen Chang, deep purple satin gowns with diamond studded neckline, getting Mercy into her handmade Ivory figure hugging dress "Am I ready?" she stood in the full length mirror asking, her voluptuous breasts threatening to peep out of the top of her dress while the midriff of the dress kept them in control, the busy skirt dotted with diamonds clung to everything until it got to her feet with a side split on the right from her thigh to the floor_

_"You girl, are so ready" Rachel smiled from behind her_

_"Let's go get my man" she grabbed her purple and ivory bouquet and made for the door, an hour later they were standing in the vestry with 30 minutes to go before everything kicked off_

_"Mercedes" Gail walked into the room, watching as Rachel and Tina rolled their eyes at her "I was wrong, it doesn't look like a sack" she smiled as she walked towards her, Mercy rolled her eyes with relief, finally this woman was coming around "It's you, you look all wrong in it, your not right for my son"_

_"Gail, could we not just get on, just for today, you can hate me all the more tomorrow" Mercy snapped, this woman was on her last nerve_

_"If you walk out now, everything can go back to the way it was"_

_"I'm not going to walk out Gail, I'm going to marry Sam"_

_"We'll see" she threw an envelop on the table "Your wedding present" she told Mercy smiling as she turned to leave "And they're out there dying to jump in your spot"_

_"What?" Mercy asked picking the envelop up and opening it "That bitch" she hissed throwing the contents on the table "It's pictures of Quinn and some blond girl"_

_"Your fucking wedding present?" Rachel screeched "This is too much" she tried to step off to deal with Gail_

_"She said they was out there" Mercy grabbed her back "Why would Quinn and this blond come to fuck up my wedding" she looked at Rachel puzzled_

_"Quinn's definitely here to fuck with my head, now the bitch is fucking with me too" Rachel rolled her eyes "And the blond, isn't she that girl we caught Sam kissing at that bar years ago?"_

_"That Brittany?" Mercy asked puzzled "What fucking rock did she pull that bitch from under...I can't do this, I can't live like this"_

_"You're letting her win" Tina stressed_

_"No I'm not, I can't be a part of this family, it's not me, the woman's exhausting" she sat on the bench telling her friends "I give up she can have him"_

_"Really?" Rachel knelt in front of her asking "You're willing to give him up after everything you've been through to get this far?"_

_"Of course I don't want to give him up, but I can't fight her anymore, I can't keep throwing him in the middle, and I refuse to make him choose between his damn Mother and me"_

_"We know Sam Mercy, there is no choice" Rachel told her_

_"I have to make this choice for us both, I can't do this" she threw the bouquet on the bench "It's off, the weddings off" she told them calmly_

_Rachel looked at Tina then the clock on the wall, they had twenty minutes to change this girls mind, no way was bitch Gail going to throw away Sam and Mercy's happiness, they needed to calm things down and get her thinking logically "Blaine's looking nervous" Tina smiled as she got up and cracked the door to look at the congregation_

_"Hope he's brought that Kurt guy with him" Rachel smiled looking through the gap at her ex_

_"You finally got over that then?" Tina asked_

_"I still blame Sam" she giggled "Shit" Rachel gasped "There's Quinn two rows behind Kurt, god she's still so fucking perfect" Rachel stood looking at her in her perfectly cut sky blue dress suit clinging to her body like it was made on it, her hair silky blond, make up almost invisible and still she looked innocently beautiful, even better with age_

_"I always thought she was pretty" Mercy got up to join them "But today she looks so..." Mercy's words broke off when Rachel interrupted_

_"Eatable" Rachel gasped "It's going to be a long day" she rolled her eyes at the love of her life standing there_

_"Beautiful" Mercy shook her head and rolled her eyes at Rachel's description of her ex_

_"And you're a beautiful bride, who has a man, that's going to be out there in a few minutes, that's so in love with you he wants to marry you" Rachel replied_

_**End of Flashback** _

"Have you finished?" he broke her thoughts asking

"Yeah" she looked down at her almost empty plate responding "What's wrong with your face?" she frowned at his sad face

"I was remembering that time you were away filming and I woke up all salty?" he got up and stepped off looking back for her

"Yeah I was off doing that second film wasn't I" she smiled, getting up to follow him

"You cheered me up singing that song, what was it called again?"

"I can't remember, is that bad?" she stood laughing, unable to believe herself right now

"You needed to get some emotion into it, you wanted to see my face"

"I remember, but what was the damn song? this is so bad"

"I remember it made us cry"

"Shoot" she bounced trying to remember the song "It's going to bug me forever if I don't remember" she stopped in motion as the lightbulb came on "Easy' she smiled

"Sing it for me"

"What now?" she looked around

"Yeah, there's just us here we can cry if we want to" he laughed

"For you" she touched his nose with hers

"For us" he smiled rubbing his nose against hers, sitting on the beach to listen to her sing "I don't have any music"

"That's fine" he chuckled laughing at her thinking her voice needed masking, as she started singing _**"I'll fix the strings and play my part..."**   _**'Easy' by Ella Mai"**

Sam sat listening he was already lost in the words of the song, **_''Love is easy, easy so don't you make hard, cant you see me, see me, see me be easy with my heart ....'_** he sat staring at the blue sea, surprised that tears were still threatening to fall down his face after all this time. He was brought back to that day they'd finally spoken after the five months of pain, this was the exact conclusion they'd come to, love was easy it was them making it hard, he'd been there, felt it, they both had, it was a good song for the film but it was perfect for them for that time of struggle. He smiled at the fact that the song was right, now they'd finally sat back and let their life happen, it was perfect, it was a beautifully grounding song _**'I've been thinking of some bitter days, lots of pressure all I'm trying to say....."**_ they didn't know it back then but that song had set the ground for them to think of the past and know the future **_'So don't you make it hard, hard"_**

"That was beautiful, you take me there every time" he giggled holding back tears

"So do you" she smiled grabbing his face to kiss his lips "So Rachel" she rolled her eyes, lightening the mood


	9. Chapter 9

**The Beach**

**Rachel & Quinn's Story**

Rachel and Mercy had met in their third year at college, rivals she'd thought but once they got talking they actually clicked, an unlikely couple that had each others backs all the way. Rachel unlike Tina was a risk taker, not as much as her friend Santana she'd hung out with in her first year, but she did some things that made Mercy cringe and secretly she liked her for it. Their favourite past time, when not studying, was flirting enough nearly every night to get a guy to at least buy them a drink, sometimes there was a walk home and the next day most of it was forgotten  

Of course early on in the friendship Rachel had fallen for Blaine hard, he was sweet, kind and fun with a real quirky sense of humour which Mercy could see Rachel was highly attracted to, but when he turned out to be gay, Mercy wasn't surprised, Rachel had painted this near impossible picture of the guy she thought existed, it was all too far fetched. At first it might have been jealousy because she'd wanted to connect with Sam and Rachel didn't seem to have the time of day for her because of this guy, but when everything unfolded Mercy felt like she was neglecting her friend, but try as she might she couldn't change anything she was infatuated with Sam

Two days after the big heart breaking Blaine and Rachel split, they were sitting in the canteen when Rachel announced "I really like that girl" looking across at Quinn, they all thought she was joking, even making fun of Blaine, but when she got up and made her move they realised she was serious, the relationship got serious real quick and at the end of that week she announced she was into girls. Mercy had still thought she was joking, still angry at Blaine or even her, because she'd really hit it off with Sam, but she seemed happy when they'd finally told her their relationship was serious, and just days later she went ahead and announced she'd got a thing going on with Quinn

Sam seemed quiet whenever Quinn sat with them, she was into reading, sang sometimes when they bust a tune in the canteen, and clung onto Rachel's every word, but they shared looks sometimes and she tried her best not to be the clingy, jealous girlfriend she found so ugly in other girls.  It was maybe after a month of biting her tongue she finally asked as casually as she could one day "Do you know this Quinn?" watching them smile at each other as they passed in the corridor

"Yeah we took a class together back in first year" he told her

"You didn't say" she side eyed him

"Not even relevant" he told her throwing his arm around her

"How not relevant?" she shrugged his arm off her shoulder asking

"A thought that left my head about 10 seconds after in came into it, I wouldn't even call her a proper friend" he smiled putting his arm back around her shoulder "And I like that jealous thing you've got going on" he knocked his forehead with hers in endearment

It turned out she was one of the popular girls that always had someone chasing her, they'd decided to tell each other nothing but the truth about their life and he was holding himself to that, he already told her he'd thought about and explained the background.

They'd done a project together in the art class he was taking and she'd totally messed it up and left him to do all the work again the night before the assignment was due. He cussed the whole night, but even more when he walked into class with his textured art piece and she stood next to him and shared the credit, listening to him explain what the whole thing was about. She'd sort of given him the chat after that and led him to believe something was possible, after all he'd helped her get top marks for the assignment, but he could never be sure if she was really into him or just needed someone to carry her through college so he'd distanced himself from her.

Of course it didn't stop there, as Quinn and Rachel's relationship grew, Quinn had told Rachel her dressed up version of the story, how he'd been after her, begging for attention and she eventually had to knock him back, and at every opportunity Quinn had tried to turn that assignment hook up into something it wasn't. She wasted no time in putting her stupid romantic twist on the real story for everyone, even tried to rope him into the lie. Mercy had smiled while sitting listening to a version of the story she hadn't heard from him being told, laughed the loudest actually, but once they were alone she gave that bullshit her full attention. Even when they'd gotten back together that last time she was still going on about this fake relationship, it didn't help that Quinn was still using that story, even after he'd broken through into the music business and everyone knew he was with Mercy, just to get herself where she needed to be in the business back then, or that Mercy was like an elephant with holding things.

"Morning" they looked up to see Rachel standing behind them "Sorry were you guys taking in the silence?"

"No" Mercy giggled jumping up to greet her friend "Great to see you" she hugged her saying

"I didn't want to disturb you guys" she looked down at Sam getting up as she spoke, then to Mercy's surprise "Sam" she tapped his chest smiling before she went in for a hug

"Rachel" he smiled back, his shocked face catching Mercy's eye

"You need something to eat, I bet" Mercy linked her arm walking back towards the bars and restaurants "We need to catch up"

"We haven't seen each other since your wedding" Rachel flung her arm around her friend "I just realised how much I missed you guys" she looked back at Sam as she spoke "Don't worry Sam, I'm over it"

"Rach you missed the cute dogs" Quinn walked towards them, smiling at seeing Sam and Mercy "Guys, she found you" she walked faster towards them her arms open for the hug

"Q" Mercy smiled taking her hug "You guys kept this quiet" she looked at Rachel as Sam hugged Quinn

"The tabloids had a field day with us last time, we tend to keep our private life off the radar now a days" Rachel told her

"What even from your friends?" Mercy asked

"What like you guys don't keep secrets" Rachel sassed

"No" Quinn looked at Rachel reminding her the past needed to stay in the past "We knew you guys were coming and we needed to see your faces that's all"

"So how long?" Mercy asked watching as Sam went off to find the dogs Quinn talked about

"A few months" Rachel told her

"Mercy we should get one, two maybe" Sam announced as he growled at the dogs, laughing as she rolled her eyes

"He makes it seem like he's asking" she laughed with her girls "He's already made his mind up which breed he wants, I know him" she tutted, they spent the rest of what was left of the morning catching up and snacking

"Anyway" Quinn piped up as they walked away from the bar, Rachel and Mercy finding seats round the pool, Sam sitting on a nearby lounger, trying to leave them to it

"We..." Quinn smiled, her smile widening as she looked beyond them "T" she smiled

"Q" Tina walked faster excited, leaving Artie and Junior behind "Rachel" she gasped as Rachel turned to see her coming "What?" she looked between the two of them "I haven't seen you two together since..."

"You can say it" Rachel laughed as Tina got to them, everyone standing for hugs

"Artie" Quinn smiled as he walked towards them with Junior on his shoulders "He's T's double" she cooed at the child on his shoulders

"He is" Rachel smiled

"My mannerisms" Artie told them

"So" Mercy looked back at Quinn when they finally settled down again "You were saying Quinn"

"Yeah, we have fresh news" she looked at Rachel smiling before highlighting the bling on her finger "Rach asked me yesterday and I said yes" she screeched

"Congratulations" everyone said together, genuinely happy for the couple they'd always rooted for

"You guys are so made for each other" Mercy told them

"I guess we finally worked that out" Rachel smiled

"So there's going to be another wedding soon?" Sam smiled, walking over to where everyone was, now Artie had joined them

"I hope it's as random as yours" Quinn laughed

"Really?" Sam asked shocked "All I remember is drama, from my damn birth woman"

"All I remember is that I was smiling when I looked at the alter, Rachel was going to be standing there any second and I was going to torcher her for the whole damn day, I needed to make her sweat for it, that song **'Why Her Not Me' by Grace Carter** was on repeat all the way to the wedding, I was playing non stop in my damn head " ** _Finding out I'm not the only one, took the air right out my lungs, oh tell me, why her, not me? what did I do for you to wreck it all, oh lord it's my fault. Why her, not me? why did you have to build the walls so high? oh no, I'm not done climbing"_** she sung,

"I asked myself that too" Rachel frowned at her fiancée

"I stood waiting for the bridal party to appear so that you could see me and maybe cry, scream, feel guilty, shame just show your damn self up or something, and beg me to come back" she smiled her face broke as a tear threatened to fall "Sorry it still brings up feelings" she wiped her eyes as Rachel hugged her

"And I'm sorry that I did that to you"

"I know" she smiled at her fiancée "I must admit, when I finally saw you I had to close my eyes and pray for strength, I didn't need to fall into your damn lap you'd hurt me" she looked at Rachel again bursting into laughter

"But you made me sweat alright" Rachel laughed "I didn't get to cry at the alter of course, but I had about a month of sweating before she agreed to even talk to me" she looked at Mercy frowning

"We never did hear what actually happened when we didn't turn up" Sam looked across at them inquisitively

"Oh" Rachel laughed "Well the music had been playing for so long everyone knew something wasn't right, then of course you weren't standing up front" she looked at him "Tina was running around whispering to Artie and then he disappeared, then Blaine disappeared and then tongues really started wagging. I was held up in the back room trying to keep away from Quinn, she tells the story better she was right there

"Settle in folks I had front row seats" Quinn smiled settling in to tell the tail

"Front row seats to what? as I remember it you were it, the entire drama" Tina told her laughing

"Why doesn't that even surprise me?" Sam asked laughing at the Quinn of it all


	10. Chapter 10

**Quinn's Account**

"First off sorry for any disrespect to your Mom Sam, I was a bit stalemate on the day" Quinn looked at Sam smiling "Gail and I had a, what she would have tried to call, chance meeting with Sam before the wedding, she was apparently trying to get me to marry Sam because she didn't want Mercy to have him, she never did tell me the reason, even though I asked her so many times on that day" she smiled at Sam before she carried on

"We'd acted the part you know, well we were actually pleased to see each other, it had been well over a year since Rachel and I had split, I hadn't seen any of you guys since that day I wanted to know how everyone was"

"Including me?" Rachel asked

"Including you" she kissed her cheek telling her "Sam was being Sam, he was the gentleman and Gail was just so nice about everything, she'd literally begged me to come get this bachelor out of his own house, telling me he just wanted to settle down and had mentioned my name several times fondly, obviously she didn't know I liked girls, she was doing her best at trying to convince me that he wasn't in love with my girl" she laughed "We waited until she left before he invited me to the wedding, I told him straight I was coming to torcher Rachel"

"I told her I knew she was going to play hard ball, I could tell she was still hurt, her eyes were a giveaway" Sam smiled

"I was"

"But he told you I was genuinely sorry though?" Rachel asked

"Actually yes he did" Quinn smiled at her fiancée "Gail came back from the bathroom and we carried on the game"

"So what happened at the church after I left?" Mercy asked

"Okay" Quinn giggled "I'll never forget the drama" she was always the storyteller of the group

_**Flashback** _

_I shouted her name across the church pissed that she didn't reply "Gail" I shouted again waiting for the woman to turn around "What's happening?" most of the congregation had heard me, I had their full attention, but the woman didn't flinch, even the organist stopped everyone was looking at the woman waiting to hear something. After about a minute Gail finally looked around for a second, then her eyes met with that Brittany woman's before she looked back at the alter smiling, she had that 'I'm pleased with myself 'smile on her face, I just wanted to spit in her eye "If you've got everyone out here on false pretences" I really wasn't in the mood for anybody's shit, I'd missed my chance at getting back at Rachel, all that planning gone to waste_

_"Sorry?" that Brittany woman looked at me asking_

_"Was I talking to you?" I asked "I didn't even know who the hell she was until afterwards, or I might have slapped her"_

_"Sorry you said she'd got you out here on false pretences and I was wondering" she replied_

_"Why?" I asked my attention moving from Gail to this woman for a second, then back at Gail "Why would this bitch be interested in your answer Gail?" I stood for what seemed like another age waiting for an answer_

_"Because she's the wickedest mother fucker you'd ever want to meet" Brittany told me "And I'm not a bitch, she's just introduced me to the bride to be as the woman she wished her son was marrying"_

_"What?" I gasped_

_"We had dinner, she begged me to come here today because Sam wanted to see me, she didn't mention a wedding" Brittany told her_

_"Dinner?" I asked Gail "Another dinner conversation?" I couldn't catch my breath_

_"Are you hearing this?" I hard Kurt ask Blaine as Blaine walked towards us_

_"Yeah I just heard from Tina, Sam must be broken" Blaine replied_

_"Mercy must be devastated" Kurt gasped_

_"We need to find her, this whole day is just horrible" Tina stood crying, her stare fixed on this woman Gail_

_"Gail" Brittany's eyes left the conversation and looked at the woman, everyone waiting for an explanation, the entire church curious by now_

_"He's not coming, she's not coming, nothings happening here, you've served your purpose, just get out my way" she pushed past Brittany leaving the congregation gossiping we all stood watching her leave_

_"We need to do something" Blaine told Kurt looking around at the shambles this woman had left, he just jumped into action "Sorry everyone, sadly it seems like the wedding is off for today, I apologise on behalf of the groom, and bride" he looked back at Tina "If you'd like to make your way to the reception venue, there's still food to eat and cake to bite" he smiled "Come on" he grabbed Kurt's hand and made for the door_

_"So, if you don't mind me asking, how do you figure in all this?" I asked that Brittany woman_

_"I don't know Mercy, Sam and I had a bit of a date once, Gail found me through a video I worked on for one of his early songs I think, I don't know where she got her information from but she made that drink out to be more than it was, I mean his girlfriend turned up half way through our date and that was it for us" she laughed "He was a nice guy and I actually believed his Mom. she sounded so genuine"_

_"She can be very good at that, but as you can see she's not all she portrays herself to be"_

_"If you ever see Mercy again please tell her I had no idea about this" Brittany asked_

_"I will" Quinn smiled "And if you ever see Gail again, run" she laughed_

_"I'm running already" Brittany laughed walking away_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"To this day that woman has never given us a decent apology or even a valid reason as to why she did that" Quinn looked at Sam telling him

"You'll have a long wait we're still waiting too" Mercy laughed

"Such a calculated plan for no reason" Rachel told them

"We've tried to get her on side again since would you believe" Sam announced "Mercy's hell bent on doing her mediating thing, but it didn't work, she's still the same"

"After all this time?" Quinn gasped

"Yeah" Sam smiled "So how did you guys get back together?" he asked Quinn and Rachel, his question falling on deaf ears as the conversation carried on

 "Oh  then Artie showed up with the message, I remember Tina stopped shrieking  the second it was announced" Quinn laughed, looking at the two of them

"I have a message from Sam, he wants us to trust him and get in the cars" he held his phone up "Mercy's parents, Tina, Blaine, Kurt, Rachel, Quinn and me" he read

"I think he'd be happy to see Stevie and his family too" Blaine told them, stepping off to go tell them

"Good thinking" Kurt shouted after him

"Where is he?" Tina asked

"He doesn't say" Artie told us, we weren't hesitating or anything I think everyone thought about Mercy at the same time

"But that wasn't the end of it Quinn laughed, I went all bitch face on her outside too, I stood on the church steps shouting that the bitch needs to explain, everyone looking at me like I was a freaking alien or something" she rolled her eyes "Your Mom went to walk off so I ran down the steps and stood in front of her "So?" I stood with my hands on my hips trying to look threatening "Why did you do this to Sam and Mercy?"

"She didn't answer" Rachel laughed

"So enough of the witch, how did you say you two got back together again?"

"I was coming to that" Quinn looked at Rachel smiling "I was caught off guard, completely forgot about Gail, when you walked up to me right in the middle of my sentence, I instinctively kissed you, and that was it the beginning of the end" she hugged her saying "The end of me and all my damn planning, she had me back at pursed lips" she laughed "I came out of that kiss shouting something like, just use the tickets, and in no time everyone was ready to go"

"Use the tickets?" Rachel asked puzzled

"Told you my mind was fucked" she laughed "Sorry, my language I forgot Junior was in here" she covered her mouth watching as the child played oblivious to what the adults were doing

"So you guys knew my plan went south when the wedding didn't happen" Quinn laughed "Then we were stuck in a rather uncomfortable ride to Malibu, and had to deal with you guys and the wedding, there was no time for anything else, and before we knew it everyone was back to life" she smiled "Rachel tried to contact me a few times after that, I didn't respond I was fighting demons" 

"It was sad that you guys had to go that far for your wedding though" Rachel smiled before frowning at them

"We had a good day though" Mercy announced "Eventually"

"Yeah, that first year we probably talked twice, I think, agreed to meet up which happened some six months after" Quinn told them smiling

"So" Rachel carried on "We opened up the lines of communication after that, but we both had stuff to figure out, Quinn was seeing someone, and she was on stage for over a year, I was in a couple of films then on tour for a while with other things in the pipeline, in the end I guess we sort of left it to fate to be honest, you can sort of force something to be what it's not supposed to be, if you know what I mean, and I think that was what we were doing the first time around"

"What making love hard when it was so easy?" Sam frowned

"Yeah" Rachel smiled "So for the past maybe 6 months we've been exclusive"

"And now we're finally ready for this" Quinn held her finger up smiling

"I'm just happy for you guys" Mercy smiled at them watching Sam move to pool side

"We're happy for you" Artie told her hugging Tina

"Thank you" Quinn stared into Rachel's eyes smiling before landing a short kiss on her lips "And congratulations to you guys" she looked at Artie and Tina as she spoke

"Thanks" Tina smiled

"So you guys, what's next?" Rachel looked at Mercy asking

"A break I guess like Mercy said in our interview the other night" Sam told them

"Break?" Rachel asked like she didn't understand

"Yeah details are in the post" Mercy told her "We've had a long two years, we're tired and we've got loads more in the pipeline, so right now it's time for a break, get our heads together and plan the next five years and stuff"

"I think we need to take a leaf once this wedding is on the way" Quinn told her

"I think you should" Sam laughed, the only plans he had for this break Mercy had announced was bed with every spare minute they could find, his mind was already there, he was head deep in their next session, they were both on heat this time around, he had that excited smile on his face when his eyes met with Quinn's, it was nothing to do with her obviously, but for some reason her eyes were watching his face and saying something different to her mouth. It made him wonder for a second before he sensed Mercy looking at him "You alright?" he asked his wife, straight away he knew something was up, her face told him there was trouble ahead, her mind had gone back to that fake news shit, he'd just sown the seed of doubt and she'd allowed it to go there

"I think so" her voice uncertain, he sat on the lay low next to her with his back to her rolling his eyes for the supposed fuck up he was going to hear about as soon as they were alone, there was no doubt about that


	11. Chapter 11

**The Pool**

Sam sat at the bottom of Mercy's lay low feeling her kicking him every now and again, sure signs she wasn't happy about that look between Quinn and him, which was nothing but he knew she was like a bull in a china shop when she got something in her head, no matter how wrong she knew it was "I'm going to grab a shower and get us some hats, this sun's getting hot" he jumped up thinking his best course of action was to get out of the firing line right now

"We'll go see what's for lunch" Quinn jumped up pulling Rachel with her "Come on you guys" she turned to the others smiling

"Coming" Mercy swung her feet off the lay low and got up following her friends, her eyes catching Sam watching her as she spun round

Twenty minutes later he was back in a change of clothes and her hat, they finally sat eating a lunch of Rice and Peas, Steamed fish, and yams with some sexy juice to wash it all down as mainly the girls talked about everything and nothing Sam sat listening his mind still on what was to come, he was drawn back into the conversation when they started talking about being ready for siesta "Later" Mercy got up watching Sam follow her without saying anything

"Later" Quinn and Rachel shouted like Siamese twins when they got up to go find their cottage

"Cottage 4 yeah?" Tina shouted

"Yeah West" Quinn shouted back at her

"Fuck siesta" Mercy looked up at Sam "I'm going to see what shopping is like out there" he didn't even want to ask, he knew here mood, but he had to

"Do you think that's wise, you know how the tabloids are?" he mutter disapprovingly

"Compared to what I think's going to come out of my damn mouth if we're alone right now, it will be fine"

"It's your call" he watched her walk away before he followed her

"I can go on my own" she hissed at him when he got to her

"Mercy" he pulled her arm to stop her walking "You know I'm not letting you go out there on your own"

"Whatever.. I'm going" she looked into his eyes telling him

"Okay" he stepped off with her, looking at her every now and again just waiting for the flack, they'd been walking outside the complex in silence for about 5 minutes when they came to a food store "What is it that you actually need?" he asked opening the door

"Some familiar snacks" she told him, he looked around and grabbed her hand, it looked quiet enough

It had been a while since they'd been regular shoppers, he'd was doing his best to try and get her to crack a smile, dressing himself in food, impersonations, taunting her with foods he knew she hated, they were enjoying the freedom, Sam riding the shopping trolley pretending to be a baby which finally started her laughing. They went around the isles stopping to argue about healthy snacks, real food and amounts, it might have been a full fifteen minutes before Sam noticed eyes on them "Come on Mercy we got to go" he jumped off the trolley telling her

"We went too far?" she asked giggling

"I think we're about to be found" he pulled the trolley she was pushing towards the till, they paid for their wares and approached the forming crowd at the door, Sam rolling his eyes when he saw cameras

"Mr Evans" they heard as soon as the door opened, someone had found them

"Whatever it is, no comment" he smiled pushing the trolley into them to make his exit, Mercy walking between him and the trolley as he moved forward fast

"There was whisper you left the studio in LA a few days ago and got into a waiting limo with a woman not your wife, is there any truth to that Sir?" the reporter asked anyway

"No comment" he smiled moving to let Mercy walk "You guys really need to get a life you know" he laughed

"Mystery woman" Mercy popped her head up and smiled for the cameras

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, he couldn't help but smile for her jealous coming out just then, the camera caught it before her hair covered her face again, grabbing the bag off the trolley they made the 5 minute journey back to the hotel in less than 2 "These reporters are like fucking vultures aren't they?" he laughed as they ran looking back at the madness going on behind them

"Vultures yeah" Mercy side eyed him, he saw it but he wasn't bringing anything to that table, he knew Quinn was still in her head, even more so with that comment from the reporter, she'd need more time to reason with herself about that stupid shit she was trying to make into an argument

"Nibbles?" he asked rummaging through the bag for something to eat, as they got through the first barrier, he was giving her time to sort things out in her head, he knew how her brain worked, Quinn never actually happened and she'd figure that out soon, this was one of the disadvantages of fake news, _'fuck it'_ he suddenly thought to himself _'it's fake fucking news, and this is my wife, what the fuck am I skirting around this shit for'_ opening his mouth to bring on her shit "I was just thinking about that time when you went on the damn Ella show and blabbed our business about Quinn, it was a nice blab but when you did that just then it reminded me of it" he laughed as they watched the man at the car barrier stop the press from following them onto the grounds "So I'm wondering why I'm treading on fucking eggshell waiting for you to blow about that Quinn shit, when I know you already know there was never anything even vaguely resembling romance between Quinn and I, because you told the world yourself"

"So... why were you two looking at each other like that?"

"To be honest I was thinking about our break and what we were going to be getting up to together, I guess she saw that look on my face and wondered what I was thinking or even that maybe I was thinking it about her, I really don't know" he laughed nervously "I was as taken aback as you"

"So what, you were thinking about me?"

"I was" he laughed

"I feel you remember"

"I remember, so you know this mess you're trying to bring is fucked up?" he looked into her smiling eyes "Here" he burst open a packed of Ranch Doritos to share "You're the only person I'd ever share these with" he offered her the bag

"Better keep it that way Mr Evans" she smiled dipping her hand in the bag

"I share my life with you remember?" their minds on their wedding day, the one that actually happened

**_Flashback_ **

_"I didn't think you were going to come" his voice was full of relief as he saw her standing at the church door "I'm sorry about my Mom" he got to her and held her to his chest, his arms feeling familiar as they touched her, it felt like time had stopped as they stood glued together at the end of a very bad storm. The release of stress for the events and thoughts of the day, cracking through that poker face she'd held since she left the church earlier that afternoon, her shoulders jerking as the floodgates opened. He stood holding her damning his Mother for doing this to her, to them, on this of all days, there was no way he was allowing that woman in his life again, there was no coming back from this he was wiping her out of his mind from this day forward_

_"Please don't leave me alone with that woman again" she mumbled as her head pressed hard against his chest, the muffled sound like a knife to his heart for the pain she was in, his chin resting on top of her head, his eyes closed to shut out the evil thoughts he was having about his Mom as he stroked her back soothing her, trying to make her feel protected, safe and loved_

_"I'll never leave you with her again, I promise" he kissed her forehead telling her, pointing to the side room telling Ralph he was going to use the room, he stepped off with her attached into the small room unsure how to start this conversation "My Mom drugged me last night, and took me to a hotel in Bend" he lifted his head off hers to speak_

_"Seriously?" her head popped up asking_

_"Yeah I called her as soon as I realised what she was doing, she told me I'd never see you again" he squeezed her "That scared me"_

_"She was so horrible"_

_"I don't want to make life easy for her or anything like that, but I need to say sorry for whatever she did to you" a tear falling down his face as he spoke, he was jerked back into the room when Mercy pulled sharply away from him_

_"That's enough about her, what am I doing here?" her voice echoing around the empty dull room, a wooden cross on the wall the only symbol of it being a place of worship_

_"Getting married I hope, I want to share my life with you Mercy" he pulled her back to him "But we need to make this call" he took his phone out and called his Mom_

_"Sam" she laughed as his face flashed up "We're at your not reception" she giggled_

_"Yeah, have one on us" he pushed the camera out to reveal Mercy sitting beside him_

_"What the...?" she gasped "What the hell is she doing there?"_

_"And that drink you're drinking will be the last one you get out of me" he smiled "As of a few hours ago you are dead to me, and my bank account" he laughed "Who's laughing now?"_

_"Sam, I'm... I'm your Mother"_

_"I told you this morning, what you did was the end of us and I meant it"_

_"But I'm..."_

_"...My Mother I heard you, but you need to hear me, not anymore, Mercy and I are hopefully getting married in less than an hour, we have our future planned, but what I really want right now, is you out of my life"_

_"Sam are you sure about this, I really don't want to come between you and..."_

_"...Even now she's sticking up for you and you've been despicable to her, you missed out Gail, you had every chance over these past eleven months to change your mind, your ways, everything, so you chose this"_

_"Why her?" Gail's face still shocked_

_"Because I love her, that's always been why" his eyes sad, for the pain he saw in the woman's face "I'm sorry but I can't have Mercy living with you doing all this stuff, we have a life to start, family to make and all this stress, I'm not having it"_

_"I can change"_

_"No you can't" he hissed at her "Bye" his face alien to him as hate raged through him, he couldn't speak anymore he closed the call_

_"Do you know what you're doing?" Mercy asked her voice soft and concerned "I mean I'm not asking you to do any of this, especially not for me"_

_"Will you marry me, I'm asking again?" he grabbed her hands and fell on his knees_

_"I wouldn't be here if that wasn't my intention, I love you" she released one of her hands to gently rub his cheek before, looking into his eyes as her finger brushed him lips and she kissed him_

_"I love you too, unconditionally" he smiled at the feeling_

_"And yet you put conditions on your Mother?" her eyes telling him she expected better_

_"I'll try again after the wedding, for you I'll try, I promise" he smiled "Do you still have your dress?"_

_"Everything except the vail" she giggled "Don't ask" she held her hand up telling him_

_**End of Flashback** _

"Hey" she rubbed his arm getting his attention "We got our wedding didn't we, and it was beautiful, she can't do anything to us now"

"I know" he smiled "She just still gets me so damn mad" he hugged her tight saying "Come on let's not try that again" they pressed the buzzer to get back into the actual hotel

"Was it worth it, all that with your Mom I mean?" she looked up at him asking

"Yes" he smiled kissing her nose


	12. Chapter 12

**Hotel Decameron Club**

"Babe" Mercy looked up at him, as they walked into the reception to grab their key "I'm sorry, all that was my fault"

"It's fine, it's cooled some rumours anyway" he laughed "Mystery girl?"

"Yeah... is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fine, why?"

"It's just you seem troubled, ever since Quinn's story"

"I was waiting for your shit" he laughed "But I was just thinking about the last time we visited Stevie" he lied

"It's been a while, I'm glad they're making this holiday"

"Me too, forced as it is" he smiled

"Sam" her voice serious as she looked into his eyes, he could tell the conversation was about to change, she hadn't believed a word he'd said "I know you said we shouldn't and you know I wouldn't if I thought it wasn't going to help" nervous for the words about to come out her mouth "But don't you think we should give your Mom just one last try?" her eyes looking for his reaction "You only have one Mother and unfortunately she's it for you, but she is your Mother" she half smiled "I'll even endure it for an hour" she frowned "Please... for me and you and ..."

"...Mercy, this again" he rolled his eyes at her, he was stubborn as far as his Mom was concerned, he'd told her she was dead to him and that was the end of it for him, and furthermore, the last time didn't go too well as he recalled

"Fifteen minutes then" she bartered

"I'll think about it" he smiled watching her grab the cottage key "Thank you" she kissed his nose smiling

"Did I say yes?"

"Well you didn't say no" she smiled

"Maybe on the way back home and again, if it even threatens to go badly again..." he warned

" We're out of there, I agree" she rested her head on his arm, happy he was at least willing to throw out an olive branch again, she'd secretly hated herself for the situation she'd put him in

"Popcaan's saying it for me" he told her as they made their way to their cottage 'Through The Storm' by Popcaan humming through the speakers telling her _'this must be love'_

"I know" she smiled, pleased with her accomplishment

He threw his arm around her smiling, not about seeing his Mom again, he could have spent another year without seeing that woman ever again, he was convinced most of that shit the tabloids came out with was from her even now. He was smiling because he was remembering their wedding day all that preparation came into it's own in the end, he'd took his brothers advice and arranged an alternative wedding with as few people as possible knowing about it, and now he was reaping the benefits, Mercy on the other hand, was thinking about that last visit to his Mom

_**Flashback** _

" _We're here Babe" she tapped his chest telling him, jerking him out of his daydream_

_"Yeah" he coughed looking around "Remember..."_

_"...Even threatens to go wrong and we're out" she rolled her eyes at him_

_"So lets do this" he jumped up and opened the car door "An hour tops" he told the driver before jumping out and turning to grab Mercy's hand to help her out "Have you been sending money for the upkeep?" he looked at the building as he asked his wife, the white walls were still very much white, the windows shining, not a leaf in site considering the driveway was lined with trees and every light in the house on "Does she know we're coming?" he turned to look at Mercy being unusually quiet_

_"Sam" they heard grabbing his attention as they walked towards the house, he looked around to see his Mom standing in the doorway_

_"We're here because Mercy begged me to pass by" he told the woman he'd grown to hate, there was no welcoming hugs, kisses, he walked past her with Mercy's hand in his, it was his property after all, their Dad had left it to the two of them, but Stevie had asked Sam to buy him out because they wanted to make their life in Ohio, he wanted nothing more than to see the woman on the streets but Mercy had talked him into keeping it so the birth woman lived there "Checking on the house" he spun round to tell her_

_"Whatever the reason, it's good to see you" she replied closing the door "Mercy can I talk to Sam alone for a minute please?" she finally acknowledged her daughter in law asking_

_"No Gail, she stays" he replied_

_"Okay" she pointed at the sitting room door for them to go in, waiting for everyone to sit down before she started talking again "I guess I went too far at the wedding, I still hold to what I say, I think you two are wrong for each other, but if this is what you want, it's down to you, I guess its none of my business"_

_"You guess?" Sam hissed_

_"I'm trying here Sam" her eyes showing her anger as she spoke "Do you need to hear me say sorry, is that it?"_

_"No I don't" he hissed back at her "I think Mercy does"_

_"I can't say something I don't mean" her fists clenched as she spoke_

_"This is pointless" he got up pulling Mercy up with him "We're going"_

_"Thank you for sending me your music" she looked up at him smiling "At least we have that"_

_"What music?" he looked at Mercy before looking back at his Mom_

_"You send me your music every time you release one" she smiled at him_

_"Actually I don't" he looked down at her smirking "And I don't send money for the upkeep of this place either... Mercy does all that behind my back" he watched his Mom's eyes move from him to Mercy, who hadn't said a word the whole time they'd been in the house "Bye" he turned and walked out the house leaving the front door open_

_They were back in the car and making their way home "Shit, I tried Mercy but that woman is..."_

_"I know" Mercy held his arm, unsure right now if she'd done the right thing, he was so wired he kept flicking her hand off him_

_"Give me a minute" he finally moved to the other side of the car seat telling her, she sat watching him trying to calm himself down, cursing her stupid idea_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"Sam" she pulled herself out of his vice like grip, she needed to breathe

"Sorry" his arm quickly let her go "She gets me so angry I can hardly speak" he said out loud, letting Mercy know he was thinking about his Mom, he was still mad that even after 2 solid years of knowing nothing about her youngest child she still hadn't softened to his choice in life and if his absence hadn't changed her mind, nothing would, there should be no more chances "I'll do this again only for you" he pulled her to him

"She maddens me into silence" she laughed

"I know" he giggled kissing her forehead, putting his arm back around her shoulder and waiting for her to lean on him, his arm gently wrapped around her this time, she felt warm, secure, everything she remembered of her natural Father's arms but yet so different, there was no doubt as she stood cloaked in him this was the love she'd been waiting, wishing, praying for and nothing and no one had the power to make her feel this way except him.

"Remember we walked down the isle you punching the air because it was happening, against all odds" she smiled trying to get him to a happy place

"Yeah Rachel, Tina and Quinn we expected to cry, but Blaine, Kurt and Artie made me just burst out laughing" he laughed

"That made my day" she giggled at the memory "Everyone cried so hard it turned into this massive giggle, and then we couldn't stop, remember?"

"All I remember is after that giggle, everything that had happened the previous 10 hours just didn't matter, everyone we wanted to be there, was there"

"Everyone, and we didn't know Blaine had got Stevie to come, that was a nice surprise"

"Yeah that made the day too"

"We sang while I walked down the isle, I loved that song, sing it with me"

"What here?"

"You shy?" she laughed

"You asked for this" he laughed letting her go to stand in front of her smiling as she sang **'From This Moment' by Shania Twain & Brian White _"I do swear that I'll always be there"_** she smiled " ** _I'd give anything and everything, and I will always care, through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow, for better or worse, I will love you with every beat of my heart... From this moment life has begun"_**

 _ **"From this moment you are the one"**_ he smiled as he sung to her

 ** _"Right beside you"_** she grabbed his hand singing

 ** _"Is where I belong, from this moment on"_** they sang to each other

They walked slowly listening to the words that still rung true for them today as he walked backwards singing to her **_"...All we need is just the two of us, my dreams came true because of you..."_**

Sam couldn't help it he was back in that church thinking about how he was fit for bursting at that moment, they'd just agreed they were doing this come what may and chose this song on the huff, but somehow it fit more than that day in their lives. he grabbed her waist and danced her along for the rest of the song ** _"There is nothing I wouldn't give, from this moment, I will love you as long as I live, from this moment on..."_**

"And I still can't get enough of you, I can't wait to get you into bed Mrs Evans" he laughed when they'd finished

"I'm sure that's going to be my pleasure Mr Evans" she pulled herself up him and kissed him, pushing their door open, it was her turn to take tonight, she pulled him by his T-shirt into the cottage, there was no teasing, she stood looking in his eyes as she removed her underwear, pushed her light cotton dress down over the hips and fell on her knees "You know what I want Evans" she looked back at him smiling

He'd stood watching her and without any discussion, he pulled his shorts way past this knees and knelt behind her "You know what I want" he grabbed her hips, his left hand digging into her to bring her to him as his right hand guided himself into her. If she didn't want the bed she didn't want to be treated like a princess, her random shit kept him alive, if this was her argument he was more than up for it, he slapped her backside hard, smiling when she cried out. His hand left her hip and grabbed her shoulder to give more pain "You're a kinky bitch tonight Mrs Evans" he slapped her backside again

"I am?" she turned to ask him, erotica in her eyes, she was in front of him, he was holding her down but she had control, she wasn't stopping until she made him burst

"Mercy" he gasped grabbing her hips

"Hurt me Sam" she gasped when he pushed harder, he rolled his eyes, he was way past control he grabbed a tighter hold of her and let everything leave his body

"Whoever the fuck that was about, I've forgotten them" he held onto her hips telling her

"We will be having that conversation again Mr Evans, but for now I guess we need to get ready for dinner" she smiled back at him

"I guess" he slapped her backside as his reply


	13. Chapter 13

**Sam & Mercy**

"Santana, Blaine and Kurt should be here any minute" Mercy smiled, as they ran around getting ready for their evening, they'd dared to carry on after Mercy's unspoken argument, of course she'd won so they were happy again

"Yeah" Sam rolled his eyes at her comment, his mind taking him back to his many negative conversations with Rachel, the only time they hadn't locked heads was at their wedding, but he remembered the time before that, it was at Blaine and Kurt's wedding and it had been so heated Mercy had to step in

_**Flashback** _

_**Sam & Rachel's Story** _

_He'd gotten all the flack at Blaine and Kurt hitting it off at the local club Blaine had dragged them all off to, she'd been just as encouraging as everyone else on the night and, all the way Kurt wouldn't have been Sam's first choice for his friend but the man was all over his boy, by the end of the night he'd even got in his face telling him he had every intention of taking care of his boys heart, all Sam could do was smile and leave them to it._

_They'd been together all of three months when they'd come to him talking about getting married he nearly choked, they'd known each other for what Mercy called a hot minute, and then suddenly there was a wedding. It was an intimate affair with just their families and Quinn, Rachel, Mercy, Sam, Tina and Artie at the actual ceremony. Everything was gold and white, really extravagant, the food was high quality which was only to be expected of Kurt's parents who were higher end restaurant chain owners and an actor of Blaine's father's calibre_

_Even at the reception Rachel was giving it her best, still trying to guilt trip Sam about how this should have been her destiny instead of Kurt's, he didn't even understand her argument, she was with Quinn and happy it seemed, he put it down to the fact that she just didn't like him, and to be real about it, he just didn't give a fuck about her feelings. He'd just about had enough of her, she'd got on his last nerve and he was going to blow, they were stood at the bar the last time she attacked him "This Evans is all your damn fault" she hissed at him, looking at the dancefloor where the newly weds were dancing to their song, the song was on replay all day long obviously it meant something to them_

_"For the last fucking time Berry I didn't make the man gay, now get the fuck off my back" he shouted at her rolling his eyes for allowing her to make him go there_

_"Seriously are you talking to me like that?" she looked at him, her hand on her hip as she dared him to answer_

_"Fucking right I am, who the hell do you think you are?" he looked down at her bitch written all over his face_

_"What's going on?" Mercy walked up on them asking_

_"Your damn man needs some manners" Rachel told her_

_"Is this about Blaine again?" Mercy asked rolling her eyes at Sam_

_"Yeah, the gay guy that didn't want her" Sam snapped_

_"And what you're expecting me to call him out for you?" Mercy looked at Rachel "If you can't handle his shit leave him alone" she told her girl_

_"So what you're on his side?" Rachel looked at her shocked_

_"Every damn time, and you heard what I said yeah?"_

_"You're going to need me again one day, when he breaks your heart" she warned her friend smiling_

_"I need you all the time" Mercy giggled "But not dissing my man, you know I will blow a bitch up on that" she grabbed hold of Sam's glass and took a large gulp out of it "Dirty that up" she told him walking off_

_"I guess that's told me, but I'll still have my digs" she poked him in the tummy, smiling_

_"Then you better be ready to take as much as you give" he told her ordering another drink with his hand as he spoke_

_"With water and ice" Rachel told the bartender, laughing as she watched her do it, Sam just stood giving her his bitch face_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"You looking forward to seeing your old school friend again?" Mercy asked as she grabbed her purse

"We weren't that close as school, and at college she went totally out of control" he grabbed her round the waist as they left the cottage

"I know, I thought she was a great laugh" she looked up at him smiling "We had some fun"

"Fun enough for her to get pregnant?" he asked looking down at his wife

"She, had that kind of fun"

"I know" he laughed pulling her in "My kinky wife got off on knowing that kind of life existed"

"I did, I mean I do" she smiled up at him looking like the cat that had gotten the cream "He must be about what 7 years old now?"

"Maybe, she didn't make it to the wedding, I wonder if she'll make it for this?"

"The fashion world is a busy place, I don't know how T finds time" she told him

"T's a designer, she's a model, I think one makes work and the other begs for it" he laughed

"Are you telling me that was a stupid question?" she looked at him daring him to say the words

"Not at all" he laughed pulling her in tighter "More ridiculous" he moved to avoid her slap

"Guys" they heard drawing their attention, smiling as they saw Blaine and Kurt coming towards them

"Dude" Sam's smile wide as he walked towards his friend, his best friend actually "It's been a while" he hugged him standing back to watch Mercy and Kurt hugging each other "How's married life treating you guys?"

"Still very much in love" Kurt grabbed tighter at Blaine's arm telling them "And you?" he looked from Mercy to Sam and back again

"Fantastic" Sam smiled grabbing Mercy's waist again

"Great" Blaine smiled "So Santana not arrived yet?" he looked around as he spoke

"We've not seen her, but we've just come out since this afternoon" Mercy told him "We got caught by the papers earlier and just needed to keep our heads down"

"What they let them in?" Blaine looked around asking, concern on his face

"No we went out" Sam rolled his eyes telling them "Yeah I know ridiculous move" he looked down at Mercy with a smile on his face "I had to punish her"

"And that was the end of that conversation" Blaine covered Kurt's ears telling his friend

"What?" Kurt moved his head asking Blaine, before looking at Sam "Seriously I didn't get it"

"There was nothing to get" Mercy giggled "Come on" she walked towards the cottages "Which cottage are you in?"

"West Beach 5" Blaine told her looking at the key

"I beg to differ" Sam whispered in her ear

"Tina and Artie are in 1, we're in 2 and I think Rachel's in 4" she told him ignoring Sam's comment

"Please tell me that girl hasn't still got something against me" Blaine looked at Sam asking

"I think she's over it, she hugged me earlier" he laughed

"Thank the lord for that" Kurt looked at Blaine genuinely relieved

"Here we are" Mercy told them, turning into Tina and Artie's cottage entrance and knocking the door

"Hi" Rachel smiled as she opened the door "Just visiting the Godchild" she told them letting the door go for them to come in "Blaine, Kurt" she hugged each one as they came into the room

"Rachel" Blaine smiled pleased with her welcome "And Quinn?" he looked into the room asking, shock on his face

"Yeah" Quinn got up from Junior's train set and walked towards them

"How the hell did that happen?" Blaine asked as they hugged Quinn

"Swears" she looked back at Junior, laughing "I feel a song coming on the old crew is back together" she looked back at Artie "Hit it Abrams" seconds later the music started and of course everyone was up for it, singing was what they always did when they got together

_**Mercy:** Yeah **Rachel, Quinn, Tina:** Heat_   
_**Quinn:** I'm stumbling through the darkness, there ain't no sign of a spark here, I'm used to feeling that fire, you watered down that desire_

_**Mercy:** I put my work in, day in, day out, baby, I deserve it, don't let me down,_

_**Rachel:** You used to make me feel like a diamond, now it don't even seem like you're trying, **Tina:** So give me one good reason I should need you_

_**Chorus _  
 _**Rachel & Tina (Mercy & Quinn):** __** __Oh, come turn this around, oh, no, no, don't let us down, (I need more heat from you, baby make me feel weak for you, babe)_ _ _  
_Oh, wanna feel alive, oh, like my heart's in the wild, (I need more heat from you, baby, make me feel weak for you, babe)_ _ _

"Wow" Santana walked in dropping her Purse to join in

_**Santana:** I'm slipping out of your fingers, keep cooling down like November, **Rachel:** I'm used to feeling that fever, I wanna dive in you deeper_   
_**Tina:** I put that work in, day in, day out, baby, I deserve it, don't let me down, no, **Quinn:** Give me one good reason I should need you_

**_Chorus_ **

__**Rachel & Tina (Mercy, Santana & Quinn):** Oh, come turn this around, oh, no, no, don't let us down, (I need more heat from you, baby, make me feel weak for you, babe)_   
_Oh, wanna feel alive, oh, like my heart's in the wild, (I need more heat from you, baby, make me feel weak for you, babe)  
 _ **All (Mercy)** Better than that, better than that, you know I love you, better than that, better than that, so come on love me_  
 _Better than that, better than that, oh, we can do much, better than that, better than that__ _

**_Chorus_ **

_**Rachel, Quinn & Tina (Mercy & Santana):** Oh (Oh), come turn this around, oh (Oh), no, no, don't let us down, (I need more heat from you, baby make me feel weak for you, babe)_   
_Oh, (Oh) wanna feel alive, oh, (Oh) like my heart's in the wild, (I need more heat from you, baby, make me feel weak for you, babe)_

_**All (Mercy)** Better than that, better than that, better than that, better than that, (You know I love you, you know I need you, you know I love you, you know I need you, oh yeah) Better than that, better than that, better than that, better than that..."_

"Santana" Mercy smiled as they finished the last of **'Heat' by Kelly Clarkson (Easy Stars & Michael Goldwasser Reggae Remix**) hugging her friend she hadn't seen for nearly eight years

"Sorry, Quinn's always been random" Rachel laughed looking at Mercy's friend

"This is Santana everyone, we were soulmate in first year college" she hugged her as she spoke

"Mercy, you haven't changed one bit" she hugged her back saying "And Sam still as handsome as ever" she smiled as he walked towards her

"Santana" he hugged her looking down at the dark haired boy standing at her side "I'm guessing this is Finn?"

"It is, he's the joy of my life" she looked down at her son smiling

"He looks like..." Sam trailed off hoping Santana could never have been that secretive

"Yeah Matt's the Daddy" she looked into his knowing eyes telling him

"He couldn't deny that" Sam looked at the child again, there was a scary resemblance to the guy he knew back at school "That means you were..."

"Am I under scrutiny here?" she asked him

"No of course not" he smiled letting her go past him to go meet the people Mercy was introducing her to

"Oh" Junior looked up at her coming into the cottage "More Aunt's?" the 5 year old looked up at his Mom asking

"This one has a little boy you need to share your toys with" Tina told him smiling as Santana walked towards her

"Junior" Mercy bent down to talk to him "This is Finn" she smiled as the two boys smiled at each other

"I bet he really wants to have a look at your, robotic avatar will you go show to him please?" Tina hugged her son asking

"Yes Mommy" the little cuties smiled looking at Finn "Come on" he moved off, Finn didn't hesitate he followed him out the room, everyone watching, wondering if that was yet another long lasting relationship that was forming in front of their eyes


	14. Chapter 14

_**Flashback** _

_**Santana's story** _

_Sam and Santana had gone through school together, same year different cliques, she'd always been a mouthy one, way past rude, and back then cheerleading was her life. Obviously because he was in the team their paths crossed on many occasions, she'd dated her way through most of the team and he'd nearly gone there himself. She'd just finished a five month relationship with his team mate Azimio Adams and was sitting mid field feeling sorry for herself, she hadn't made head cheerleader for whatever reason and she was taking it out on anyone that even pretended to show an interest in her feelings_

_"Sam" she called across the field, one day not long after the breakup with Azimio smiling when he looked over at her "Can I have a word?" her hand calling him as she shouted, he rolled his eyes and went running over to see what she wanted, maybe his help in getting Az back, he wasn't into it and Az had already told everyone he was done, and he meant it_

_"Santana" he replied when he got to her "What do you want?"_

_"I was just siting here thinking of all the guys in the team, I've known you the longest, but we've never really spoken have we?"_

_"So?"_

_"Is that because we know there's something there, are you scared of me?"_

_"No and no" he laughed, she was actually funny and for whatever reason he liked that "Santana I'm not up for playing matchmaker for you two, whatever it is sort it out yourself"_

_"With Azimio" she pointed at the field "I'm so over him" she laughed, and it was at that moment he knew there would never be anything between them, she didn't even take a mans feeling serious "I was talking about us..."_

_"Santana lets just leave that right there, I don't even think we can be friends" he told her walking away, and for whatever reason she seemed to have respected him for that, from that day they didn't invade each others space or cross each other like that again. When they were leaving school, she mentioned that she'd made it into UCLA and he was pleased for her, glad she was taking life serious, she'd had a nasty split with Matt by then, another team member, there was lots of name calling and private information about their sex life thrown around and although she seemed, bothered, troubled, hurt even by the break she went on with life._

_He'd seen her around college being her usual self, trying to sleep her way through the whole three years in a day, he distanced himself but at the time he was no better. The first time he'd met Mercy she told him she used to hang out with Santana in her first year, the stories were toe curling, he really wasn't even shocked when her Dad came to the college shouting his head off wanting to kill someone called Patrick for getting his little angel, who he didn't know was a devil wearing Prada, pregnant._

_**End of Flashback** _

Now he was looking down at the image of his ex-team mate Matt's face on this tiny replica he understood her hurt back then, he smiled at the child now about 7 years old his brown curly hair tight against his head

"Rachel, Quinn, Blaine, Kurt, Tina and Artie" Mercy said their names as she pointed at them "Everyone's cool, and of course Sam you know"

"Yeah Santana and I went to school together" Sam told everyone

"I vaguely remember her from the first year" Blaine smiled at her as he spoke

"Yeah I did that first year then went off to be a Mom"

"Any regrets?" Kurt asked, evading Blaine's stop it look

"Just one I guess" Santana looked around the room "Well maybe two actually" she giggled "I should have gone straight back to college after having him and I should have maybe told his Dad he was coming"

"Matt doesn't know?" Sam asked shocked

"He does now, but back then it was just too much to ask him to leave football, he was all about that" she smiled "Still is"

So you guys finally got it together?" Sam smiled at the happy ending

"For Finn, yeah we did, but he's happily married with two other children, Brittany's a dancer really nice, they have a lot to do with Finn though, and I'm well... here" she huffed looking at Mercy "Missing you" she told her friend "I'm sorry I missed the wedding, too much going on in my life back then" she looked between them "But this time you called and I couldn't not come"

"You called?" Tina looked at Mercy asking

"Yeah I do that periodically with friends" Mercy smirked at her friend "It's called communication" she laughed

"I didn't mean it like that" Tina laughed, wondering how she actually meant it as she watched Santana going around introducing herself properly

"Call me nosy" Rachel butted in "But this Brittany, tall, blond, pretty?"

"Very" Santana smiled as Rachel turned to look at Mercy

"Surname Peirce?"

"Well she' married now, she's Rutherford, you know her?"

"Yeah, she danced in one of Sam's music video's" Mercy rolled her eyes telling her

Soon the introductions were over and Santana was sitting listening to a very excited Kurt and Blaine telling everyone about their wedding day along with everyone else. "It was so rushed we hadn't really thought past actually getting married" Blaine smiled at Kurt

"We'd actually proposed to each other while that song 'Say It First' by Sam Smith played in the background, it was such a romantic moment we sung it at the wedding" Kurt told her

"Everyone stood at the Cathedral stairs, it was grand if nothing else" Artie smiled

"Back then it was wedding classic for us I mean who gets married in college?" Sam asked

"Well I'd call you're wedding classic, never to be seen again" Rachel laughed

"Don't even remind us" Mercy held her hand up at her friend "Every time we get together that comes up" she rolled her eyes pissed because she'd just got Sam's mind off that shit

"Why what happened?" Santana asked looking around the group of people

"We'd just found out that Sam's Mom was..."

"You mean Gail" Sam interrupted

"Yeah, she'd just warned Mercy not to marry Sam and of course she was feeling a bit frail to say the least, I was boosting her confidence again when Gail walked in" Rachel continued

_**Rachel's Flashback** _

_"Okay total honesty, my girl is beautiful, no doubt" I told her as we spotted Quinn in the congregation looking fine as usual "But Mercy Jones, I'll be damned if I stand here and tell you she's any more beautiful than you or us" I looked at Tina for agreement "We are awesome bitches" I snapped "And Sam, Artie or any damn partner I find will need to be kissing our damn feet every f-ing day for how lucky there are to have us" I giggled, I meant it "And that's my truth so... are we going to go out there to do this?"_

_"Yes" Mercy smiled "I need to redo my make up" she stood looking in the mirror while I tried at making things right_

_"Mercedes" Gail burst through the door again, we all rolled our eyes at her touching our last nerve_

_"Gail if you've got nothing positive to say…" she stopped in mid sentence at her walking in with a tall, blond, pretty girl on her arm_

_"This is Brittany, the woman I've always wanted Sam to marry" Gail announced_

_"Gail" Brittany gasped obviously not ready for what Gail had to say "I'm so sorry, on your wedding day too" I saw tears from the girl_

_"It should be her apologising to you, she's the one that's imposing" Gail told her_

_"Gail" she gasped, like us she couldn't believe the woman_

_"I have a dress out back for you" Gail told her, oblivious to Brittany's reaction_

_"Gail" I think that was all she could think, she kept saying it over and over again, finally she looked at Mercy "Mercedes I'm so sorry" she turned to Gail and told her, Sam would be so ashamed of her, and walked out_

_Of course by now Mercy was broken, she fell on the bench crying, I looked at Tina disheartened we knew that was it, the end of everything, she couldn't live like this, she had to get out "You win Gail, I'm not marrying Sam" we had nothing to say I mean how could any girl want that to be the memory of her wedding day_

_"At last, we finally understand each other" Gail's voice filled the room, there was so much hurt in the room we'd forgotten she was still there "The cars outside, it will take you where I want you to go, your bags are loaded" she spun on her heels "And I've left money in the car which means we never want to see you again" she announced as she walked out the door_

_Tina and I couldn't even talk, that bitch was the worst, and to be fair we knew we wouldn't want to be a part of that either "What are you going to do?" I finally asked breaking the silence she wasn't even crying anymore, I could tell she was mad as hell_

_"I'm leaving" she looked up at us anger in her eyes "I'm getting as far away from here as I can" she jumped up and ripped her vail off "I'll be fine" she quickly calmed down and hugged us before walking out. We just sat watching her wondering what to do next, Sam wasn't even there yet to call on, there was still 10 minutes before showtime but even we didn't have the words to talk our friend down from what had just happened. We sat hugging each other as we heard the car door bang, and the wheels move on the gravelled drive, right then there was nothing else to do but wait_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"That's the most horrid wedding story I've ever heard" Santana gasped grabbing Mercy's hand "Honestly Brittany's nothing like that, she'd have been telling the truth about that situation"

"I wouldn't worry about it, we got our happy ending" Mercy smiled

"We didn't even know all that, and we were worried about Mercy, but I think we were just as scared for Sam after that call he made to Rachel, well Rachel on Mercy's phone" Blaine looked across at his friend telling everyone

"I can't lie when I say real bricks were passing until she got to me" Sam laughed hugging his wife "And we did get married on that day in the end"

"And it was beautiful" Mercy smiled up at him, brushing her fingers across his lips before kissing them lightly

"Then there's you" he looked into her eyes smiling

"What time's the family getting here?" she asked trying to change the subject, they'd thought enough about that woman already

"They should be here already, I bet they've been to ours looking" Sam replied

"What time are your parents coming?" Mercy asked Tina

"Late evening" she jumped up smiling "It's all getting so real"


	15. Chapter 15

**Mercy's Family**

Come on" Sam jumped up pulling her up as he spoke

"Okay" she squinted her eyes at his action "What's with all the excitement?" she rolled her eyes asking, he was always more excited about seeing her parents than she was, for her it was just a painful reminder that there was something she wasn't a part of anymore. She didn't feel like a member of the family she felt like a long lost cousin or Santa Claus wife, who came to visit every year for birthdays and left having offloaded presents in exchange for a cookie and some damn milk.

Lets go find out which cottage they're in" everyone sat watching them leave "There's Leon" he pointing at her brother walking away from the Cottages "It's only been a year and he looks like a man" he smiled "I love being around your family"

"I cant say I've noticed" Mercy replied sarcastically smiling for seeing her sibling "He has grown"

"You're so lucky to have a family like this"

"I know" she rolled her eyes at him smiling

Leon was the oldest of the two half siblings at 14 now he was growing into his own, he had his father's smooth looks, fair skinned with the deepest grey eyes and a cheeky smile. His Dad in contrast to Mercy's was a tall slender man with brown nappy hair and grey eyes, built like a brick, even back then Mercy could see the attraction for her Mother, and truth be told, below everything she was happy that her Mom had gotten another chance at happiness.

"Merc" Grace her younger sister came running from the beech, her brown mop flowing behind her, she was nearly as tall as Mercy, but only 12 years old, and she hadn't quite gotten rid of all her baby fat yet. "Merc" she dived into her with such force Mercy had to grab hold of Sam to stop the fall

"Amazing" Mercy smiled taking the hug

"I miss hearing that" she told her with her face nuzzled into her sisters neck

"Sam" Leon walked up to them holding his hand out to greet his brother in law

"Come here" Sam pulled his hand bringing his whole body into his "It's been nearly a year, no way are you getting away with just a handshake" he grabbed hold of his little brother and slow punched him in the ribs "Where are you growing to?" he looked at him nearly measuring up to him

"Mom's soup" he smiled rubbing his tummy "Merc" he fell into his sisters waiting arms

This was the strange thing for Mercy, because even as much as she felt left out of things when she was around her family, when she was with her siblings she loved them unconditionally, and they never stopped showing their love for her "You're not the runt anymore are you?" she looked up at her little brother laughing

"I think you can take that title" he looked down at her laughing

"Where's Mom and Dad?" Sam asked looking at the row of cottages

"In the bedroom, having their time" Grace rolled her eyes and lifted her hands to hyphenate the word time

"So I guess we'll need to go check out the pool or something then" Sam laughed looking at Mercy

"Seriously?" Mercy asked him walking towards the Cottage "Which one is it?" she asked smiling as Grace pointed her in the right direction laughing as she followed to see the action "Mom" she burst through the door shouting "Mom are you in here?" no one could see the smile on her face

"I'll be out in a minute" her Mom shouted through the bedroom door

"You mean, we'll be out in a minute, don't you?" she stood at the closed door asking

"Girl you better mind your damn business" her Mom shouted back through the closed door

"I don't need to mind your business Mom, looks like you're doing just fine looking out for that yourself" she giggled

"That can not be my own child sassing with me" a giggle in her voice as she replied to her daughter

Mercy could hear them making hast at getting dressed, she smiled at the disruption she'd caused, looking across at Sam's smiling face, she knew he was thinking about that time she'd caught them too

_**Flashback** _

_"Bye" Stevie had waved them off that morning, they'd spent a few days in Ohio with him and the children, because Sam had finished his tour in Nashville and she'd finished hers a day earlier in New York. It has been a while since they'd spent any time with their brother and his family, they'd just got engaged and they were all happy for the catch up, they'd caught the first flight back to Carson City, he was about to meet her parents for the first time._

_They got to Mercy's parents in the evening with all the layovers, and were as tired as hell but still had to find time for the welcomes, food and catch up before her parents caught on they were tired._

_He'd woken with a bit of a spring in his step and teased her like crazy for a good hour in bed until she finally decided to give up on any more sleep, and get up_

_"Where are you going?" he whispered as she made to get up, pulling her back so her back was flush against his chest_

_"You want me out of bed right?" she turned her head to look at him_

_"The absolute opposite Miss Jones" he nuzzled into her neck biting at the skin he found there "I want you in bed and I want in you"_

_"Here?" she looked at him shocked_

_"Here, now" he replied, his tone telling her it was happening "Are you saying no?"_

_"No" she giggled "Just... this is my parents house"_

_"And this is your, I mean our bed yeah?"_

_"Well yeah but..."_

_"No but's Mercy, I'm guessing you had your first wet dream here" he giggled "Maybe even spurted all over the sheets"_

_"Guessing" she giggled "And I'm almost positive it wasn't these exact sheets Evans"_

_"You know what I mean Jones" he pulled her closer "Tell me" he held her to him asking, she turned her head to look at him wondering if he was being serious "I told you mine" he remined her_

_"Okay" she rolled her eyes "But don't judge me" she giggled "I was maybe 13 when I had the first one I remember anyway"_

_"Was it in this bed?" his voice excited_

_"Yeah I was asleep" she frowned "I remember I was asleep and there was this hand slowly creeping up my body, making circles as it went, it just kept getting closer to my spot, you know that place you call my delicious spot?" she laughed_

_"What this one?" his hand invaded her pyjama bottoms as he spoke "Feels delicious" he kissed the back of her neck telling her_

_"Yes that one" she closed her eyes and flung her head back onto his chest_

_"Carry on" his hand moving gently against her sensitive spot_

_"Yeah and then my body was reacting to it, it was more sensual than sex, it was the tenderness of it all" she moaned as he pushed her bottoms down and invaded her from the back, it didn't take long for them to get near to where they needed to be his hand working her while she moved up and down him with urgency_

_"Get that radio station changed" her Mom shouted through the door stopping them in their tracks, none of them answered, they just looked at each other_

_Suddenly Mercy decided she wanted what she wanted and called back "Changing it Mom" as they carried on, coming to the end of the session quickly, less than half an hour later they were sat at the breakfast table embarrassed_

_"I was going to ask how business was, but I heard, you guys are taking care of it" her Mom told them her face frosty as she poured their coffee_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"Mercy" Sam laughed "You know you're going to pay for that" Grace and Leon stood laughing at what they knew their parents were doing and the fact that Mercy was brave enough to call them out on it

"Paybacks a bitch" she giggled, her face frosting to serious as the door opened and her Mom stepped out in front of her

"Language girl, you may be a woman but I'm still your damn Mother" she told her smiling as she grabbed her daughter for a hug "I miss you so much" her eyes glistening with tears as she pulled away from her daughter "Let me look at you" she stood visibly proud of her daughter, making Mercy blush

"I miss you too Mom" Mercy smiled before tears fell, she always acted the tough one, but when things came in her face like that she was a crier

"Sam" Anthea held her hand out for her son in law to get a hug "I missed you too"

"I missed you Mom" he smiled taking the hug, that was something he didn't get very often, even as a child this behaviour from his Mom was about him being her possession rather than her son

All three stood looking at each other like they had a thousand things to say and not a clue where to actually start "We'll catch up later" she gently pushed them away from her "Let me get you guys something to eat" she walked off to do her usual thing "Shit Sherlock, there's no damn kitchen" she laughed "I could get used to this no cooking thing, do you guys want a drink then?"

"We're fine Mom" Sam told her, hugging Mercy as he watched her wipe her tears giggling at her Mom

"With rich relatives I should be used to all this" she laughed "But every time I get treats like this I wake up pinching myself and waiting for the bubble to burst in my damn face"

"It's not going to burst Mom" Sam smiled at her

"That's what Mercy keeps telling me"

"Believe it" he smiled "We want to do more you know we do"

"I know, but it's important to him to be a man about his shit, and I get that" she told them as Leon and Grace stood giggling about her language

"We get it too and we respect that, we're just saying if you ever need" Sam told her "I'm sure Mercy agrees we do what we do because of you guys"

"You know I do" Mercy told them "Come on let's go get that drink" she walked her Mom over to the drinks cabinet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has a mind of it's own it's taking me all over the place, but I'm sticking with it


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I've put Finn in this fic but I haven't recognised him in the characters list, that's because he's just always someone I want to remember from Glee, but the character is not as is depicted in the series

**Anthea's Story**

**_Flashback_ **

_They'd been through some stuff together, Mercy and her Mom, her father was the sole breadwinner for the family, so of course when he passed they'd struggled to get things together, they'd moved out of their luxury home on Lakeview Road just six months after he'd passed, then struggled before finally getting a low level rented accommodation and food stamps for a while._

_Neither of them could forget that first night they'd had to sleep in a homeless shelter, they were as scared as each other on that night. They didn't really know anything about homelessness, they'd hung onto the house for as long as they could, and even when they were being escorted out Anthea still wouldn't believe her life had come to this. She held her daughter and cried the whole night at having to be shamefully showered before they would allow them to sleep on a single bed in a hall full of people they didn't even know._

_It got easier as they learned the ropes and started getting spots in the safer shelters, schooling was difficult for about five months but Mercy had been given a firm start on the education ladder she was well above her age range on most subjects. They'd moved from an impossible situation to a pointless one, getting an apartment in the ghetto was worse than sleeping rough, they knew nothing about ghetto life. Then Andrea finally got that break they were looking for, after nearly six months of sleeping rough and project life, she finally bagged a job as a live in Nanny and they'd accepted her child as part of the deal, they were both excited to be sleeping in a warm, safe bed that they were sure of the following day._

_Because they lived in, most of Andrea's money went towards Mercy's education, she didn't want her daughter to go through what she'd gone through and thought education was the key._

_There was an unused piano in the house Andrea worked in, it was something they'd been used to in their life before this, her Dad played beautifully, neither of them had ever taken to learning anything music, it had taken enough of his time away from them, so they secretly hated the piano. However, at this point in their lives they finally understood why he was away playing for whoever would listen to him, to keep them in a manner they'd become accustomed to. Because of this Mercy fell in love with the instrument and set about learning herself how to play it when the family were out, she got good enough to play something for the family three months later, and within the month Mr Reynolds announced the piano was hers._

_It might have been two months later her Mom started stepping out with Mr Trevor Boothe it quickly turned into living together, the piano was the first piece of furniture that went into the house, it helped greatly that he was musical too. The day Trevor proposed to her Mom he sat her down next to him at the piano and sung **'That's the Way (Nature Planned It) by Ken Boothe** to them, telling her afterwards that he loved her and wanted to make her his along with her Mom, he turned laughing to see her Mom crying, they didn't know what to think for a while, it was weeks later her Mom told her that her answer very much depended on what she'd said, from that day every time she thought music, she was led back to those times when they made do and they only had each other to cling to, and the tears of joy on her Mom's face at the end of a very bad journey_

**_End Of Flashback_ **

They were all sat in the living room, the conversation more than started when her Dad walked it "Sam" he pulled his short hair up into what might have been a bun if there'd have been enough of it before his hands dropped to his sides and he walked forwards to grab Sam's hand "Nice to see you again"

"Not nice to see so much of you" Mercy sat looking at her Dad standing there in really short shorts and a string vest "Dad" she moaned

"That's Dad now a days, we think he's going through the change" Leon told her, his face not impressed

"Yeah, the changing that beer gut for a six pack but can't be bother change" Grace told everyone laughing

"You need to remember you're here because of this" he ran his hand down his body laughing as everyone watched Grace shudder "Someday you're going to be in love with someone just like your Daddy" he fluffed her already fluffy hair telling her as he walked across the room to get to Mercy "Baby girl" his arms wide open for his daughter **_"It should be clear I really, really love you, don't ask me why, I just do..."_   **he sung from their Ken Boothe song, pulling her up to dance with him as he carried on singing, everyone stood smiling at the Father, daughter moment

"So how's everything with you guys?" Anthea asked when they stopped the dancing

"Fine" Mercy smiled "More than fine" she giggled, tapping her Dad's chest

"We're very happy" Sam confirmed "Everything seems fine for you guys too" he looked at Dad smiling

"We're happy to see you guys, it's never enough time" his voice genuine "Have you managed to sort stuff out with your Mom yet?"

"No Sir" Sam sighed "We tried again last year, but her attitude is still the same" he looked at Mercy "And we don't need that around us, ever"

"Well, she's your Mother Sam, I don't have a damn thing to say" he replied shaking his head "Except it's a shame she's missing out on so much"

"She chose this" Mercy added

"She did" Sam hugged her kissing her forehead

"And I've still got that almighty box waiting for her should we ever meet again" Anthea turned to tell them "Nobody treats my daughter that way"

It seemed like they had a store of things to talk about, sometimes it would be all of them chatting over each other, then Sam took Grace off, and Mercy took Leon somewhere, then they swopped and eventually Sam and Dad spent a good while together, and at the end of her conversation with her Mom she announced "We need to get everyone together for dinner" getting her phone out to message everyone.

**Dinner**

They finally met Tina's parents, her Mom Xiu very traditional and straight up funny, her Dad, Liu Yang had them all belly laughing at the table, at one point Artie was expecting the Manager to ask them to leave but they got through the night without any warnings "So Sam" Liu Yang, looked at him, his face serious as the table quietened down "What's in store for the stag night?"

"Oh I got some strippers in" Sam told him as faces dropped around the table

"Now that's what I'm talking about" Liu Yang laughed

"I'm actually joking" Sam laughed "That would get most of us into so much trouble" he looked around the table "Unfortunately we're not in positions to afford such festivities" he flinched as Mercy pinched his leg "I've booked a Yacht for all of us, so 8am start, straight after breakfast" he told everyone looking around the table. There was eating and a lot of drinking before Junior got tired and Artie suggested the party carried on at their cottage, of course everyone was in agreement "Where's Mercy?" Sam asked noticing she'd left his side a few times for the night

"She's at the bar again" Tina laughed "I'll go tell her to get some bottles" she got up, Rachel, Quinn and Santana followed her, when they finally got back to the table everyone left for Artie and Tina's cottage

The music went on and Junior went to bed, everyone stood around talking, drinking or singing along to the songs "Here" Trevor shoved a bottle of beer in Sam's hand "You need to stop watching Mercy and loosen up a bit, she's fine"

"I know" he laughed still watching her across the room "There's just something going on for her, I know she's not telling me something"

"And what... you need to know everything that's going on in her mind?"

"No but..."

"That's her favourite word isn't it?" he laughed

"I guess" Sam smiled, his eyes meeting Mercy's at hearing her laugh, he smiled and went back to his conversation "Maybe she can't wait for Stevie to get here with the girls" he smiled

**Mercy's Conversation**

"It's true" Tina laughed of the tale of the first meeting between Artie and her parents "Dad played so many tricks on him, I was sure he was going to walk out"

"He wouldn't do that" Rachel told her still laughing

"Your Dad's so funny" Santana laughed telling her "I had a real frosty welcome from Finn's Dad's parents, they more or less denied their son even went there with me, I had to do a test and everything"

"Just thank God you're out of that relationship then" Mercy told her

"Yeah" she looked down telling them "I met someone else, and his family were fantastic, took Finn and I as one of their own and everything"

"So what happened to him?" Quinn asked as Rachel knocked her for her forwardness "What?" she asked "I just asked"

"It's fine" Santana laughed "I guess he wasn't as committed as I thought he was"

"Why what happened?" Quinn asked again, smiling at Rachel's disapproving look, she knew everyone was interested

"He used to be a ball player but he's a Vet now, he's always busy on call and all that, he asked us to move in with him about a year ago, we've been seeing each other exclusively for about three years now, but I have to be careful with Finn and everything, so it was me that slowed everything down for us" she looked around the group telling everyone "But when I got the call from Mercy I asked him to come with me, meet some of my freinds, I sort of realised, since I'd had Finn I sort of put all that on the back burner, trying to prove my Mom wrong I guess, she said I couldn't be a fit Mother" she sighed "My Mom died thinking that I guess" she played with the bracelet on her left arm as she spoke "He didn't come and I guess that tells me he's just not as committed as I need him to be"

"Or it might just tell you he's busy" Mercy commented "I know how you are, great expectations and all that"

"Could be"

"Stuff all that" Tina flashed her hands telling them "There are times I'd gladly rip Artie's brains out of his head, but when he takes me to bed and makes me feel like I'm his entire life, that shit just turns me the hell on and keeps me coming back, does your guy make you feel like that?"

"Yes" Santana and Mercy replied together, everyone laughing

"Then he's your one" Tina told her "Would you marry him if he walked in right now and asked you?"

"Him just walking in would do it" she giggled

"T we need to have a word" Rachel looked across at her friend "Tonight"

"Fine" she smiled taking another sip of her punch

Drinking and dancing went on into the small hours, musically tonight belonged to Gyptian as eventually everyone literally became **'Weak In The Knees' by Gyptian & Tina** staggering or crawled to their cottages, it was an early start in the morning


	17. Chapter 17

**Friday**

It seemed like they'd just closed their eyes when Mercy heard her Mom shouting at them as if she was standing over them "Sam" Andrea nudged him so hard both their eyes opened

"Mom" Mercy gasped looking down at themselves happy they'd both kept some underwear on last night "What are you doing in here"

"Did you not say it was an 8am start?" she tutted at her "It's time to go" she told her cutting her eye at her as she spoke "And breakfast is ready" she told her turning to leave the room as she carried on mumbling about them being terrible planners

"How did she get in here?" Mercy looked around asking

"Good start to the festivities" Sam lay looking at an angry faced Mercy, this wasn't the way for her to start any day that was supposed to be enjoyed

"Don't you start" she cut her eye at him saying

"What did I do?" he screeched "Don't take it out on me because Mom told you off" he laughed

"She was calling your name, you should have been the one in trouble not me" her bottom lip poking out like a spoilt child

"You look so cute" he giggled grabbing her back to lay down "There's one good thing about today so far" he whispered in her ear

"What?" she whined still sulking

"I love you Mrs Evans"

"And I love you Mr Evans" she smiled "But Mom still told me off"

"I'll tell her when we go to breakfast to stop picking on you"

"She was picking on me wasn't she?" she giggled "She's a bully"

"Cheer up, we're leading the day today" he reminded her

"I can't wait"

This morning they were visiting the Dolphin cove in Ochi Rios to take a plunge at swimming with them, if the dolphins allowed it. For the afternoon they'd planned a cruise on the North Coast with snorkelling and a visit to the famous Rick's Café in Negril giving everyone time to chill out before the hectic day tomorrow, giving the opportunity to eat more authentic Jamaican food and, if they wanted, just relax looking out at the crystal clear blue waters and sip punch or any other tipple they fancied. Early evening they were scheduled to visit The Rose Hall Great House for a candlelit tour of the famous haunted house, as well as peruse some valuable antiques.

They quickly jumped up, grabbed a shower and got dressed making it to the breakfast hall to cheers

"About time" Andrea commented as they walked in

"Thanks" Sam smiled sarcastically, walking towards his Mom to plant a kiss on her cheek

"Thanks Mom" Mercy smiled, cutting her eye and giving Sam a look for not telling her Mom off like he said he would, as she too kissed her

"Oh by the way, I need a quiet life" Sam turned back sharply looking at his Mom "Not trying to tell you anything about your daughter or anything, but she's not the best with sarcasm in the mornings, so could you be gentle with her please Mom?"

"I guess you heard she got that from me" Andrea replied laughing "Sorry Mercy" she smiled at her daughter

"Sorry Mom" Mercy smiled back, hugging Sam for getting that done

The day was relaxed filled with things to do with the children and even Grace and Leon had smiles on their faces by the end of the morning the dolphins had been kind to them. The guys spent an hour together, taking a chance with a local barber Trevor had spoken to for a little under five minutes and put the life of all the men in the guys hands, they were all pleased with the end results to be fair and the guy seemed really happy with the tip.

The Women went off to find gifts and keepsakes to take back home, just after lunch all meeting back up late afternoon to take the boat round for the coach to Rose Hall after dinner. There was so much fun to be had in the old house and so many storied to hear as the guild walked them around giving them the history around 7pm Junior was showing signs of fatigue "We need to get back" Jeana told them, no one said anything just started back

"Sam Evans" a guy screamed as they walked past the crowd he was with and saw him

"Hi" he smiled waving at them he was in the middle of the crowd, he always tried not to pay too much attention to the hype

"Could we get your autograph?" a young man stood with his girlfriends hand in his asked, his accent sounded German

"Sure" he looked around wondering how they got so close, realising they'd been swarmed, he grabbed the pen and paper to quickly do what had been asked of him and smiled handing them back "Have a good day" his eyes looking around for Mercy, panicked when she wasn't near him "Where's Mercy?" he asked, everyone was in a panic thinking on their feet as the crowd rushed them, Artie, Blaine and him busy looking out for the children and the parents. "Get on the bus" Artie shouted as everyone moved towards it, Sam aware he hadn't seen Mercy stepped off in the opposite direction "Mercy" he shouted through the crowd "Tyrone" he stopped mid step at seeing the damn man

"Sam look who I met up with" Mercy smiled at him

"Hi" he smiled at the man, grabbing his wife's hand "We need to get out of here"

"Do you need that mirror again?" she looked up at him giving him that false smile of hers

"This isn't a fucking joke, the crowds out of control" he pulled her with him, rolling his eyes for his jealous coming out like that, their song **'Secret' by Anne Marie ft YK Osiris** ringing in his head, there was far too much familiarity in that song of theirs

"Bye" she waved at Tyrone as Sam rushed her off

"Where did he spring from, again?" he asked as they walked away

"I don't know he was just there with his usual sea of paparazzi" she laughed

"A real showman" he huffed, looking back at the man, who was still dying to be him "She calls me" he mouthed to the man

"Please don't tell me you're still jealous of that idiot?" she raised her eyebrow at him

"If I told you the man's got a thing for you, you'd still call it jealousy wouldn't you?" he pushed her onto the coach in front of him, angrily

"Sam" she turned to look at him for his rough handling of her

"Is everyone alright" Sam asked, watching Mercy slam herself in the seat, while everyone nodded yes, the children seeming excited

He threw himself in the chair beside her, he wasn't happy with her either, they sat in silence for a while "I did it again didn't I?" she finally said having reflected on her behaviour

"Yes" he smiled at her

"Sorry"

"I don't need a sorry, I just want you to stop it"

"Okay"

"It was a great day, sad it ended like this" Artie smiled as they headed back to the hotel

"We have an announcement" Rachel and Quinn jumped up to kneel on their seat to look at everyone

"Here we go" Mercy rolled her eyes looking at Sam

"No, this is a nice announcement" Rachel laughed

"Yeah we spoke to Artie and Tina last night, it seems pointless that we have everyone we need in one place right now to plan on doing this all over again in a few months time, so..." Quinn looked at Rachel smiling as she grabbed her hand

"We asked Tina and Artie if we could linked our engagement party to tonight and..."

"They agreed" Rachel squealed

"And you guys are alright with that?" Blaine asked

"Yeah we are" Artie smiled

"Okay engagement tonight, wedding tomorrow" Santana smiled "So romantic"

"I need Stevie to get here" Sam looked at Mercy pulling her to lay in his lap

"Me too" she stretched up to take a kiss,

They got back and found a spot on the beach to chill, Mercy had ordered a BBQ and some music, everyone was having a good time, Mercy looked across and noticed Santana just watching the sea, lights hitting the water every now and again, following the ripples "She's missing her partner" she told Sam

"I didn't know she had one"

"I suppose it doesn't help with all us couples laying around"

"Suppose, but we can't hide being in love" he told her hugging her tighter

"I'm not saying that just..."

"She'll be fine" Sam kissed his wife's head telling her, as they lay watching the night

"We'll get the little ones to bed let you young people finish the night" Daniel got up with Junior's hand in his "Should we take Finn too?" he sked Santana

"Thanks" Santana smiled getting up to kiss her son

"Mike" Sam gasped, as his eyes followed Daniel taking the children to bed, he hadn't seen him for nearly 9 years but he knew for sure it was his old friend "What are you doing here?" his smile wide as he jumped up to get to him

"I came to see Santana" Mike told him as they hugged

"You're the Vet?" Mercy asked, turning to see who Sam was talking to, smiling at the stranger

"Yeah" he looked between Sam and then woman that had just spoken "I've seen you on TV, Santana said you were her friend, I just thought..." he laughed with Mercy

"Sorry this is my wife Mercy" Sam smiled

"Pleased to..." his eyes catching sight of Santana walking towards them "Santana"

"Mike, what are you doing here?" she froze asking him "I thought you were busy"

"I was, it took a while to move things around, but I did and now I'm here" he smiled "You mean so much to me Santana" he walked up to her as she spoke "And I don't want Finn or you thinking I'm not committed because I am, I love you both so much" he stood in front of her telling her "If I could marry you today I would, I need you to know that" his arm grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him "Marry me?" he asked before his lips touched hers and her arms went up to wrap themselves around his neck

"Yes" she smiled when he let her lips go, smiling but crying at the same time

"Who said this was the Island of love?" Kurt asked smiling

"Was that a thing?" Quinn asked, making everyone laugh

"Shit is that two weddings?" Tina asked

"No we haven't got licences or anything" Santana told her

"Actually we have, I started all that when you told me we were coming, and Mom and our Dads are on their way" Mike told her "It's booked for tomorrow 3pm"

"Seriously?" Santana stood shocked

Mercy looked at Sam smiling her friend had changed so much from their college days, she'd never seen her so vulnerable or happy, she grabbed hold of her husbands hand and wrapped it around her as they stood watching Mike get on one knee and ask properly before scraping Santana up in his arms and kissing her passionately in front of everyone. There was so much to celebrate tonight, they settled in for more festivities

"Not too much for you guys, responsibilities" Sam heard his brother's voice and turned smiling

"You're here" he left the group and walked towards him, Mercy close behind him

"We're here" Stevie hugged his brother telling him

"Where are the girls?" Mercy asked as she hugged him

"They're with Kate settling down, they've had a long day"

"I need to go see them" Mercy went to step off

"Can you just wait till their sleeping or we'll have no sleep tonight... Please?" he touched her shoulder asking

"Okay but..." Mercy frowned

"I know, its your favourite word" Stevie laughed "And your favourite Mercy Evans feature" he grinned at his brother


	18. Chapter 18

**The Brundle Party**

Everyone who didn't know each other set about the task of getting to know each other, there were toasts to the brides, grooms, engaged couples, longest married couples, shortest married couples everyone had a toast by the end of the drink fest, people crawling around on their hands and knees they were so out of it. There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to collect themselves, they hadn't been this free since college and that had brought some memories back, they got lively again when Artie announced the last song of the night and everyone got up to dance to 'Made In California' by Jah Cure. needless to say things had been said that had no business reaching outside ears, as well as things that hadn't been said, those that were able to tackle them did their best as soon as they got in

**Blaine & Kurt**

"I cant believe you told everyone our damn secret" Blaine slammed the door hissing at Kurt

"To be absolutely truthful with you, neither can I" he threw his sweater on the couch in response "It wasn't as if it was planned, I guess I've had a bit too much to drink"

"If you'd have been drunk I might understand, but you weren't, you aren't" he looked at his husband angry

"It's just sex Blaine, everyone has it for god sake" he cut his eye at the drama his husband was creating right now

"It isn't actually it was our first time, that was special to me" he laughed sarcastically "To us I thought"

"It was, come on Blaine, if any of us were to react like this I'd expect it to be me"

"I'm so damn angry" he shouted "You'd have threatened divorce if that had been me letting all out shit out"

"Listen" Kurt walked towards him "I'm truly sorry, I guess it's just been a while since we were with our friends, that time was more than special" he grabbed his arms telling him "And you know I love you more today than I ever thought I did back then and I wouldn't purposely hurt you for anything in the world"

"I know" he sulked "It was the best wasn't it?"

"It was, it is" Kurt hugged his husband both stood remembering their first time

**_Flashback_ **

_They'd saved sex till marriage, that was why it all happened so quickly, they couldn't wait any longer, Sam and Mercy's wedding present to them was a long weekend in New York, which as a treat they'd upgraded. Exams were over and they were ready for this blow out, with very little of their budget left they were limited on what they could do, of course they'd spent the few minutes they weren't in the hotel room window shopping._

_It had been an awkward night, full of red faces, pleasure and pain, but they'd come through it all feeling connected in a way they never knew they could be. They lay looking at each other for the longest time after that first time unable to believe the feelings that flooded through them._

_This was a City they'd always wanted to see so when Kurt suggested a Tattoo there were smiles "That one's nice" Blaine looked at the tattoo catalogue as they sat in the studio_

_"It is but I don't want anything you can actually see, I want it to be private" Kurt told him looking at the man sitting in the chair getting a giant eagle tattooed across his shoulder and up the side of his face_

_"We could maybe have something on our arms" Blaine suggested_

_"I'd never be able to wear short sleeved shirts again" Kurt giggled_

_"So something small and hidden" Blaine confirmed as he looked through the catalogue "This is really restrictive"_

_"Plus we don't have change for anything too big"_

_"That's true" Blaine lifted the catalogue up to show Kurt "What about this?" he asked pointing to a lion's head_

_"Too trashy and it means nothing" Kurt was already talking before he looked "How about our star sign?" he asked "We're both cancers we could have like something that symbolises our traits" he smiled_

_"Homely, helpful, good friends, emotional" Blaine smiled_

_"Moody, suspicious, sentimental..." Kurt frowned_

_"Loyal, sympathetic" Blaine added smiling at his pessimistic husband "I could go with that"_

_"So where shall we put it?"_

_"Very small on out butt cheek, no one will ever know, except us"_

_"Okay" Kurt slammed his fists on his calves happy with the choice_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"I'm sorry" Kurt squeezed him tighter saying "We can get another one even more private"

"It's fine, I overreacted, it doesn't change us does it?" Blaine smiled

"Never"

"But don't blab the story behind this next one" he pushed Kurt onto the couch smiling

**Tina & Artie**

"Don't be late because believe me I wont be waiting" Artie laughed as Tina walked away to spend the night with her parents, if it had been up to Xiu the tradition would have been held and he wouldn't have seen Tina until he'd completed some ungodly tasks and provided her with an unmentionable amount of money in a red packet

"Count yourself lucky I'm not wearing red at the alter" Tina laughed

"Actually you are my dear" Xiu told her, she was nowhere near as fun loving as her Dad, by her tone Artie knew he'd said something wrong but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what "Come on" she pulled Tina with her, smiling as the girls said their goodnights and left them to it

'What did I say?' Artie sent Tina a message asking

'I think it was the not waiting thing that did it' she wrote with a laughing face at the end

'You know I was joking right?'

'Of course but this is Mom we're talking about, she who has no smile'

'I didn't think, it just came out'

'Prepare for me to be late'

'Take all the time you need'

'Will do' she sent back with a kiss at the end of it

'But no later than 2.30 or we'll lose our spot' he sent a kiss back at the end of it 'Goodnight I love you'

'Goodnight love you too, Mr Abrams'

**Mercy & Sam**

"We're alone" Sam grinned nudging Mercy as they walked towards their cottage "Everyone's had enough to drink but I know you so I saved myself" he wiggled his eyebrows grinning at her

"I guess it's time to pay me some attention" she grinned

"We can do that" he smiled

"My head's still in that session on the beach Thursday morning" she ran her fingers through his hair and down his cheek

"Liking your head" he giggled opening the door for them to get in "Drink?" he asked walking across the room while she locked the door

"Yeah, bring it to the bathroom will you?" she asked walking across the room without looking back at him, he smiled and did as asked, she was obviously looking at some quick thing, he had other ideas, he walked into the bathroom with a drink in both hands, surprised to see her standing there naked already. She walked towards him, wrapping her hands around his neck while lifting herself up onto his chest, his hands occupied with the glasses meant she was in charge right now

"Babe" he got out before her lips covered his, while her legs wrapped and crossed behind his back, her tongue intruding his mouth with some urgency she gone from nought to one hundred in seconds, there was no resisting. he moaned into the lock she had on him, his concentration still on the glasses in his hands "Babe" he muttered through her kisses, but she wasn't letting up, he could tell by the look on her face she'd broken through the making love barrier, sailed through a quickie and gone in for one of their rough and ready sessions, something was wrong, she was scratching him with her urgency "What's wrong with you?" he turned to press her up against the door, tipping the drinks in the sink, the glasses clattering as they left his hands and touched the porcelain

"What's wrong with me?" she lifted her head for a second to ask, as he pulled her away from his chest with some force, he recognised her behaviour, it was like a lightbulb moment

"Mercy?" he stood asking the question he already knew the answer to "Are you..."

"Congratulations" she smiled grabbing his lips, as she went back in hard

"You know this isn't going down like this, now I know" he pulled her off him "How far gone are you" he held her at a distance asking

"Just gone eight weeks"

"Shit Mercy" he held his head at the risk she'd put their baby at "Why didn't you say the other day?" he was angry now

"It's a damn surprise Sam" she hissed just s angry

"It's our baby Mercy"

"Okay it's our baby, nothings happened yet, can we just pretend I didn't tell you this until the morning" she made to grab his lips again

"No" he pulled away from her "You know how this goes"

"Sam" she whined

"Four weeks into the second trimester" he told her feeling her legs loosen on him

They'd lost two babies before they caught for their twin girls, eventually finding that actually going full term was always going to be difficult for them, they'd thought having sex was putting everything at risk when a miscarriage threatened the third time, but they didn't lose the twins, instead they found out about Mercy's weak cervix, there was bedrest and treatment followed as soon as they could have a cervical cerclage. They were told then that the procedure would always be necessary after the first trimester, and then she needed around four weeks into the second trimester for things to settle down, and they should refrain from intercourse until everything was in place. They'd wanted babies, lots of them, from the off, but when they came across this condition, they were just happy to have carried the twins full term and without any further complications. They'd never actually talked about more children after the twins it was like an unspoken consensus that for them there might not ever be any more, and now this news, of course he was past happy, but he also knew they had to be careful about this, and with Mercy on heat it was going to be down to him to keep things in check

"Sam" she whined at him, getting down off his chest "What if we're careful?"

"Sorry Babe, I can't go through that again" he stepped away from her saying

She sat on the side of the bath hard, showing him she wasn't happy "I wish..." their eyes met at what she was about to say

"You kept this away from me long enough already, don't you think?" he hissed at her

"It was a damn present"

"Walking around pregnant, having sex, when you know the consequences, and letting me be rough, is not a damn present Mercy"

"Okay, I'm sorry" she got up and touched his back, his muscles hardened at her touch, he was still mad

"That's why you told me to be careful at the Ella studio?" he hissed "I should have known then, talk about da ja vu" he raked his hand through his hair

"Sam please" she touched him again "I'm sorry" she wrapped her arms around his waist this time and leaned her head on his back "It was a stupid thing to do"

"So why did you do it?" he asked her not willing to let it go

"We've just spent a week apart, I just wanted some time being selfish I guess" she told him her head still resting on his back "Eight weeks is a long time to leave a man without, you know?"

"Yeah I know" he smiled turning to face her "But I'm willing to do that because I want our children Mercy"

"I'm sorry" she looked up at him with her water filled eyes

They stood in the bathroom wrapped in each others arms, they were quietly celebrating, it was a time to be happy, but at the back of their minds they were also thinking about the rough weeks ahead, and to top it all they didn't work well without that closeness, this conversation was a sign the change had already started "Come on" he finally said stepping into the bath, watching her follow him, he lay staring at her, despite everything this was one of the most beautiful things she could do for him "Then there's you" he smiled


	19. Chapter 19

**Saturday**

**7.30am**

"Mercy" he shook her gently "Come on it's 7.30 lets go see the children" his voice full of excitement, he hadn't seen them for over a week because of work, unusual since they'd been born but this time they'd agreed for it to happen "I'm going to get their breakfast ready" he went off to the restaurant to get them all their favourites

"I'll be there in a while" she groaned at him, it had been four days since she'd seen the children, but Sam had been away for a straight week, and the children had gone to spend some time with their Uncle, he'd been asking for a while, she always thought Sam felt like he needed to squeeze a year into every day when he was with them, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep

"Mommy" She heard making her eyes spring open, a smile instantly forming on her face as she saw her babies standing looking at her, in their matching PJ's

"Morning Sweethearts" she pulled her legs out of bed to sit up smiling, watching as Sam let them go to get to her "I missed you guys" she hugged them to her

"I've got our breakfast" he told her

"Family time" she looked up at him smiling "Should we go see what Daddy got us for breakfast?" she asked her babies as she grabbed her gown and threw it on before making ready to take them through, she picked Rebecca up as Hannah grabbed onto her trousers demanding attention "Come on Baby" she looked down at her saying, putting Becky down when she remembered Sam knew she was pregnant and he'd have a fit if he saw her exerting herself

"I knew you were about to hook these two on your hips" he came into the room, smiling as the children fussed wondering which one to go to "Hold up" he screeched at Hannah taking a running jump to get into his arms before her sister, giving him just seconds to get on his knees to stop the fall, Mercy grabbing Becky as she went to do the same and topple him over "Thanks" he smiled at his wife before looking at a frustrated Becky "Come on sweetheart" he held his free arm out, both watching the smile come back on her face when he wrapped his arms around her, before taking them both out the room "Look" he said putting them on the soft pure wool caramel carpet as they entered the open plan living / diner room

Their faces lit up like stars as they ran towards the table full of treats "Breakfast is served" he announced in his best Matthew McConaughey voice, making them all laugh

"Sam" Mercy laughed as she looked at the table "They're three years old" she told him looking at the half grapefruits in their bowls, mixed fruit sitting next to it, cereal up front in the middle, a plate with bacon and eggs on it and a cup of Juice to wash it all down with

"What, it's paid for" he smiled "I want to spoil them"

"Grapefruit really?" she rolled her eyes at him smiling

"You've got half too" he pointed at her plate "Sit down" he told her settling the children into their chairs, giving them spoons and watching them dig into the grapefruits for a second, giggling to himself before moving off "Starter" he smiled sitting next to Mercy

"Sam" she laughed harder "A starter for breakfast?"

"Hey don't knock it, it's once in a blue moon" he smiled sitting down next to her, smiling at them being together again "I'm glad you told Ella, and the world" he hugged her saying "I don't feel like we've got a dirty secret anymore" she looked at him frowning "Not that our children are dirty secrets or anything but, you know what I mean" he laughed

"Good come back Evans" she laughed as they sat watching the children and thinking about that TV show they'd done a few days ago

**_Flashback_ **

_They were cutting things fine even agreeing to the interview, Sam wasn't sure he'd be finished, so it was almost at the eleventh hour when Mercy got his call saying he was on his way, she'd had a delayed flight too, but for some reason this was important to Mercy, this time around_

_"I'll go first, give you time to get there" he told her_

_"Yeah, for hair and make up I suppose"_

_"You know you're perfect already right?"_

_"Thank you babe" he'd made her smile_

_"Love you"_

_"Back at you" she giggled clipping the phone off_

_Evening was soon on them and Sam sat on the couch behind the stage waiting to be called, rubbing his hands down his trouser legs, he was itching to see Mercy, smiling at the jokes he couldn't hear that made the audience laugh "Sam" the woman with the headphones nudged him "You're up" she pointed to the left of the stage telling him_

_"Sorry" he jumped up putting a smile on his face_

_"Sam Evans" Ella smiled greeting him "Nice to see you again, it's been what nearly 3 years?" she laughed_

_"Yeah I guess there was something you forgot to ask" he laughed as the crowd clapped_

_"To be honest we sent the invite to you and Mercy, we just needed to get something from you guys, it's been a while, and we're lucky this evening Ladies and Gentlemen because they both accepted" she told the clapping audience_

_"Determined to get into my private life?" Sam smiled, remembering his last interview_

_"Well, plus some ladies wanted a selfie" she raised her eyebrow at the laughing crowd_

_"Ladies" he smiled into the crowd "What is it with all this selfie stuff" he asked the crowd_

_"Look at you, you need to ask?" Ella asked rolling her eyes_

_"Actually, I see me every day and yeah I have to ask"_

_"Funny" Ella laughed_

_"Okay" Sam rolled his eyes realising he wasn't going to get an answer on that_

_"So I guess we better get the competition out the way" her eyes lit up "Ladies and Gentlemen Mercy Evans" she walked towards the right side of the stage as Mercy came into view_

_"Hi" Mercy grabbed Ella's hand Sam stood watching as they hugged with a smile on his face "Sam" she smiled looking past her host_

_"Is that a surprise?" Ella asked, Mercy didn't answer, she just made her way to her husband_

_"Hi" she smiled at him she couldn't hide the joy of seeing him in the flesh, it had been the longest week, they stood for a second looking at each other both knowing what they needed just then but aware of where they were, he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her to him smiling as her hands went up and pressed hard against his chest "I love you" she whispered in his ear both smiling as he loosened his grip_

_"I love you right back Mrs Evans" he looked down at her smiling, his eyes telling her he wished they weren't there, but he was happy she was close, he let go of her waist and grabbed her hand pulling her to sit down next to him_

_"Relationship not so over" Ella smiled at the two of them as she sat down too_

_"Not at all" Mercy smiled "Just busy, super busy" she looked at Sam smiling, he lay back and put his arms up across the couch they sat on, fine with letting her take the floor, if Ella was going there he was sure Mercy had something up her sleeve "Actually I just finished filming this afternoon and came straight here"_

_"So in all this busy, is there any collaborations coming out any time soon?" she looked at Sam but Mercy answered_

_"That stuff was easier when we had the same manager, we're two very different entities professionally now, but never say never" she smiled at Ella_

_"So the last time you were on the show Sam you'd just sang that song 'Empty Space' and the world thought you were a single man again"_

_"On the contrary" he laughed looking at Mercy "I was busy"_

_"So if it wasn't about a break up are you willing to say what it was about?"_

_"Both songs were about a particular breakup, we just got closure on that chapter of our lives"_

_"So you did split up"_

_"Yes but that was way before we got married" Mercy answered looking at Sam "And it was a very brief breakup"_

_"So busy" Ella nodded her head happy that was finally cleared up, willing to change the direction of the interview "So we've seen the movies, chat shows, heard the concerts, albums and singles what's next for you two?"_

_"We're still working, aren't we?" Mercy looked back at Sam for confirmation_

_"Sure" he touched her naked back as he answered_

_"But we will be hanging things up for a while in the near future" Mercy informed Ella_

_"We will?" Sam sat up looking at her, she was going to do this, they'd always told each other it was up to the other person but secretly he'd always wanted this to be her choice_

_"You guys have done that before and come out stronger haven't you?" Ella asked_

_"Yeah sometimes it's good to take time to reflect" Sam added_

_"Yeah I remember" Mercy giggled feeling for Sam's hand, smiling when he grabbed hers, they gave each other a look before she continued "We've started our family" she announced_

_"Oh" Ella looked at the couple shocked but excited for getting the scoop "Congratulations" she smiled as the audience clapped and cheered_

_"Thank you" Sam smiled at her, knowing there was more, squeezing Mercy's hand telling her it was alright to share_

_"So when is the new addition expected, can we at least know that?"_

_"Oh just over three years ago" Mercy smiled_

_"What you already have a child?" Ella gasped "This is too much, how did we not know this?" she looked at the two of them asking_

_"Maybe because it's not fake news" Sam laughed, looking into the camera lens_

_"Definitely not fake news" Ella smiled at the camera while the audience clapped and cheered at the news_

_"Actually" Mercy hushed the crowd as she sat forward to tell more, they quietened quickly "We have twins" she announced to everyone's arrhh's "And that's as much as we want to tell everyone"_

_"It's enough" Ella laughed "From a couple who rarely tell us anything, this is everything"_

_"They're at that age, we need to dedicate some time to them you know?" Sam added, before he fell back in the chair smiling, this was so welcome "I'm happy we finally did this" he leaned forward to whisper in her ear_

_"Me too" she laughed screaming as he randomly jumped up and lifted her off her feet, his hands around her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck taking the feeling of his arm around her in "Careful" she screeched at his actions_

_"I've got you" he told her as the crowd cheered_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"Okay time to get dressed and go meet the rest of the wedding party, and introduce these two to some of them" he threw his spoon in his plate telling his family, Mercy finished packing the washing up ready for collection "First one in the bathroom" he told the girls making a dash for the bathroom with them following, he laughed as they all piled in.

"Sam" Mercy walked into the bathroom watching him bathing the girls "Can we keep our news to ourselves till after the weddings, I don't want to take anything away from them"

"Sure but I think Rachel, Quinn, Santana and Mike have already done a good job of that"

"We know Artie and Tina wouldn't have agreed if they didn't want them to"

"True" he took a second to look at her, before the girls grabbed his attention again


	20. Chapter 20

**09:30**

"Tina's messaged me to say they're having breakfast at the grill" Mercy told him as they got the girls ready

"Artie's at the jerk pan" he looked at his phone telling her "So it's good we got breakfast together, I'll take the girls if you want"

"It's fine Chloe and April will be there to dote on their cousins, and I won't lift them"

"Sure?"

"Yes sure" she smiled "There'll be nothing else happening unless you okay it" she smiled, she knew her moods when she was pregnant, these were the happy days, there was definitely worse to come, but no matter how bad she got, he had a habit of reminding her that he loved her and he needed to be involved in things. She felt things were going to be a lot different this time around because the girls were there, and if there was ever anything they both agreed on, other than their love, it was that the children needed to grow up in a happy home "Anyway why would they want to be with a load of men?"

"True" he kissed Hanny as he put her pink sun hat on her head and stood up, with Becky's green one in his hand "Sweet" he called his daughter to him, putting her hat on her head before bending down to smile at her "Beautiful" he kissed her nose telling her "Come on then" he stood up and grabbed Mercy's hand.

The girls in their matching outfits, were identical in almost every way both with piercing green eyes, lightly tanned skin, dimples in each cheek, cute lips and lightly curled hair now hitting just below their shoulders, the only difference being Hanny's hair was light brown with blond streaked, while Becky's was dark brown with light brown streaks, both in white sleeveless cotton jumpsuits, and sandals to match

He smiled watching them run towards the door, waiting for their parents to open it and set them free "Don't run" Mercy warned as Sam opened the door, they stuck to that for about a minute before they were way ahead of their parents, Sam shouting them back every so often "I'll see you later" he let Mercy's hand go and watched his family walk into the Grill bar

**The Girls**

"Finally" Tina smiled at her friend as she walked in with the children "You didn't say they were coming" she jumped off the chair to pick her Goddaughter up "Becky" she smiled watching as Rachel made a B-line for Hanny

"Now this is a holiday" Rachel squealed grabbing hold of Hanny and planting a kiss on her cheek "You're a lovely surprise" she stood talking to her Godchild that seemed to be more interested in her familiar cousins

"You're missing breakfast" Kurt told her

"That's fine we had a family breakfast this morning" Mercy told him

"Mercy I want you to meet Mike's Mom, Mrs Chang or Sanja" Santana smiled at the woman sitting beside her

"Sanja please" she smiled hugging Mercy

"Nice to meet you Sanja" Mercy smiled taking the hug, before she went around saying morning to everyone else, and catching up with her sister in law, chatter carried on for a while before Tina jumped up excited

"It's 11.30am" she gasped "I can't believe we've been sitting nattering all this time" she grabbed her Mom's hand and made for her cottage

"I've agreed to being Mom to Santana today" Kate told Mercy "So I'll see you guys there, will you make sure Chole and April dress properly, that's before they step out, they have some seriously strange fashion ideas?" she laughed

"Sure" Mercy laughed watching the girls grab Hanny and Becky's hands happy to leave their Mom "You're not getting away with anything so you can wipe those smiles" Mercy laughed

**The Boys**

"Sam" Stevie got up from the bar walking towards his brother "I don't know who that miserable fucker is, but he's putting a downer on everything, you've got to rescue that Mike guy" he whispered to him as they hugged

"It's his father in law to be, my hands are tied" Sam looked over his brothers shoulder at the man seeing Santana's features in his face "He can handle him"

"Are you sure, he hasn't said a thing to him"

"Give him a chance, come back to me fifteen minutes after the ceremony" Sam laughed

"Sam" Mike jumped up relief on his face "This is Harry, Santana's Dad and my Dad Li Jie" Sam smiled and embraced both men, the conversations finally melting into one big one, allowing his mind to get full with Mercy and the pending baby, excitement and dread bubbling inside him

"Okay so we have a plan" Artie announced clapping Sam out of his daydream "It's what?" he looked at his phone "11.45am now we have just over two hours" he told everyone "I've got this cool idea for the wedding" he looked around as they walked, getting an agreement he eventually walked off with Liu Yang and Daniel

**Sam & Mercy's Cottage**

**13.00**

"Have you been back long?" Sam asked as he walked through their cottage door to see Mercy and the four girls messing with clothes thrown all over the couch

"Not long we took a slow walk back" she looked up smiling at him walking towards her

"You're glowing" he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her into him, kissing her lips lightly, the two of them jerking as the door knocked

"Are you expecting anyone? Mercy asked

"Not right now" he looked at the door

"Sam it's Stevie" he heard walking towards the door and swinging it open "You never let me finish, I've got Mom with me"

"Shit" he rolled his eyes at the situation he'd so quickly found himself in, with Mercy in a delicate state the stress was a risk, he really wasn't about to turn his brother away and right now the devil of a woman was standing right behind him smiling like they had some sort of friendship thing going on

"It's a surprise for me too, Kate wouldn't let her in, I don't expect you to either, but I thought maybe we both needed to deal with this, get her back on a damn plane or something"

"How did she...?" Sam asked breathless

"She called me sounding hysterical begged me to come over, I told her where we were, but I didn't think for one damn minute..." he looked round at her

"Sam" Kate smiled at him giving him a hug as she rushed past him into the cottage to get to the children "I don't want to stay in there on my own, if she's around there's going to be stuff happening"

"See" Sam looked at his brother "less than a minute and all this is happening" he looked at his Mom "Could you not just disappear again, do everyone a favour?"

"Sam I..." Gail started to talk but was interrupted by Mercy coming to the door to see what Kate was edgy about

"..Sam" Mercy stood at the door saying his name the same time as his Mother "Invite her in, where are your manners?" she asked walking away from the door back towards their babies

"I don't want her around my children" Kate told Mercy as Sam stood wrestling with his feelings on what Mercy had said

"Me neither" Mercy grabbed their clothes and moved them into her bedroom

"I suppose Mercy's right" Sam looked around to see who was there "We better invite her in" he rolled his eyes telling his brother

"Thank you for seeing me" she smiled a strange smile that Sam didn't recall, he stepped aside and let her in

"You have children?" she looked back at Sam asking as she came through the door, seeing children's clothes on the couch

"Yeah" was all he had to offer

"So?" Stevie turned to his Mom asking "What's so damn urgent?"

"Can we at least sit down?"

"No you're not staying that long" Sam told her

"I have a lot to say but I guess I can start with sorry" she looked at the four faces "I've never been perfect, even when your Dad was around" she laughed "But I tried hard, even more so after he left us, I was under so much pressure when I was with him to be better, be a good wife, fit in with his damn family that didn't want me in it, and when he left us, I know that wasn't on you guys, but I guess my brain took a different turn, and I tried my best to get his family to accept me by trying to make you guys perfect, I turned everything in on myself and became his family" she smiled rubbing her hands together "Sorry I'm not making sense"

"I think you are" Kate frowned "You became evil and twisted"

"I lost Steve and baby Zoe so suddenly, I guess the thought of losing you terrified me" she looked at Sam "I'd already lost Stevie because I asked him to get rid of his girlfriend, only because I thought he was punching beneath himself and then you come along with Mercy, not just any girl but an even darker skinned girl and I guess I panicked, how was the family ever going to accept me with black girls on my son's arm?" she watched as Sam rolled his eyes

"We know all this" Sam told her, waiting for her to get to the point

"Let her speak Sam" Mercy pulled his arm telling him

"I guess what I want to say is sorry for everything to everyone, for being a bigoted, racist, narrow minded, evil mother" a tear fell down her cheek "I feel awful, ashamed even, for where my grief has taken me, or I have allowed it to take me. I know it's a big ask and it will take a while but I'd like to get to know you guys again, see my grandchildren and smile, I miss smiling" she cried into her hands

All four stood watching her for a while before Mercy went to her "Gail" she grabbed her shoulder and took her to the couch, there was something whispered that couldn't be heard by the others before they looked back at them standing there, Gail had a smile on her face and Mercy's hand in hers, Sam's heart missed a beat at the sight "Kate, I think Gail's trying to be genuine, she's asking if she can talk to us alone" she looked at Sam her eyes asking for permission

"I promised you..." Sam started to say, remembering her broken in his arms asking him never to leave her with the woman again

"...Technically Kate will be with me" she smiled at him

"It's your call" he smiled at her

"Thanks" she smiled at her husband before looking back at Kate

"I guess it wouldn't hurt" Kate smiled looking at a nodding Stevie and back at Mercy, she knew they both secretly wished for another kind of relationship with their Mother in law that would make their husbands whole again

"Okay so after the wedding, maybe some time tomorrow, we can get this conversation on the cards" Mercy smiled

"Yeah" Kate smiled "So let's get these brides down the isle"

"I thought you were being Mom to Santana?"

"I am in about" she looked at her phone "Now" she stepped off

"And you guys need to get Gail booked in" Mercy looked at Sam and Stevie smiling, before stepping off towards the bedroom


	21. Chapter 21

**The Weddings Day**

**13.30**

**Tina**

"Come on Tina" Xiu shouted calling a not so happy Tina out of the bathroom, she'd been sitting in there listening to her Mom on the phone to her Aunt telling her there was going to be a very traditional wedding and she was going to send pictures of the whole thing in real time. She'd fell in love with her bespoke wedding dress, it was her fairy tale come true, the reason she'd started designing in the first place and now on her wedding day she was going to be arguing with her Mother because of something Artie didn't even mean the way she took it.

"Mom" she opened the bathroom door ready for this difficult conversation "I'm wearing..." she trailed off as her face burst into a smile at her Mom standing there with her Ivory bespoke wedding dress in her hand

"You know how my sister is about tradition, we'll put the traditional dress on after and take some pics" she smiled, Tina was in shock her Mom was always so straight laced, this was so out of character "It's your wedding day, you do exactly what you want to do"

"Thank you" she hugged her Mom smiling

"But you will need to get into that at some point, and take some photos" she looked back at the traditional red Qipoa laying on the chair behind them

"I will" she smiled grabbing her dress out of her Mom's hand "Come on lets do this" she went off to stand in the mirror

Watching as Xiu unbuttoned her dress and put it down for her to step into, she'd made it herself of course but she was still nervous for what everyone was going to think about it. She stood looking at herself in the mirror, her satin dress with ripples of lace from with waist going all the way down to the floor forming a trail at the back, sleeveless, with diamante cut outs around the waist, while the neckline threatened to allow her small breasts to be glimpsed from the side when she moved, was what she called perfection

"Revealing" Xiu smiled "But beautiful, you're so talented"

"I have a very pushy Mom" she smiled talking Xiu's kiss "Ready?"

"Ready" she grabbed her daughters arm calling her husband in to see their pride and joy

"Tina" he smiled before a frown spread across his face "Where is your traditional wedding dress, no daughter of mine is getting married in... what is this colour?" he asked Xiu

"Ivory and you're not kidding anyone" she slapped out at him laughing

"You look even more beautiful today than you did the day you were born" he smiled at her

"I'm guessing I was all pink and wrinkly, blood all over me and maybe screaming my head off"

"Oh despite all that, I say you still look more beautiful, maybe it was getting rid of all that blood around your eyes" he laughed

"Dad" she laughed "You're going to make my make up run"

"Come on lets get this money transfer underway" he held his arm out for her to grab "You might even get that butt implant you've wanted all these years" he looked at Xiu raising his eyebrows

"I never wanted a butt implant" she hissed at him

"Maybe that was a wish of mine" he laughed

"Dad" Tina jerked his arm "Too much, I mean much too much information" she giggled "Come on" she pulled him towards the door stopping when it opened before they got there

"Oh God" Jeana held her chest as her new daughter in law stood in front of her "You are so beautiful, I'm so... proud" she walked towards her kissing her cheek as she hugged her carefully "Daniel look who we're inheriting?"

"He's a Abrams of course he has taste" Daniel laughed hugging Tina "You're the most beautiful bride I've ever kissed" he whispered in her ear

"You have no more children, only Artie" she laughed

"So you know I mean it" he frowned at her before bringing the brightest smile "I love you so much you know that too don't you?"

"Yes I do" she closed her eyes as he kissed her cheek

"I'm just excited to finally be getting a daughter" Jeana hugged her when Daniel had finally moved out the way

"Okay, lets get this show on the road" Xiu calmed everything down saying, watching as everyone left the cottage to make their way to the beach ceremony

**Artie**

"So you think it's time?" Daniel asked his son

"I thought you'd be saying that time was like 6 years ago" he laughed in reply to his Dad

"I think I said that six years ago" Liu Yang laughed "But for where you guys have come from, been and about to go I'm truly proud"

"Well at least we've settled in Washington DC so you guys can finally come visit us more often"

"I'm just glad Junior finally gets to put some roots down" Daniel told him brushing Artie's collar down as he pushed his hands securely through his jacket sleeves "We don't want you fainting in the heat with all this on" he tapped invisible fluff off

"I'm good" Artie walked over to the full length mirror to check himself out "Yeah, I'm good" he smiled at his reflection "Who's Bad" he did his Michael Jackson pose smiling as his Dads laughed

"How Tina finds that shit amusing I'll never know" Liu Yang shook his head

"You were just laughing" Artie told him puzzlement in his voice

"Because I thought it was the right thing to do" he laughed

"You thought it was good admit it?"

"It was alright, I suppose" he laughed grabbing hold of his son in laws shoulder "No nerves then?"

"No, I'm fine, we want this"

"That's my boy" Daniel smiled

"That's our boy" Liu Yang corrected him

"I stand corrected" he laughed "Come on lets get out there before the bride turns up before you"

"For my entrance she needs to be there first" Artie laughed they walked him over to the beach and left to go take a peak at their daughter before the big moment, they seemed more nervous than the bride and groom

**The Wedding**

**14.00**

Women and girls dressed in all things Lavender waiting near the cottages for the bride, while the men had grey waistcoats and trousers with white shirts and Lavender Cravats waiting at the alter with Artie "Now" Daniel came down the isle quickly with Xiu and Jeana in hand to take their front row seats

"Where is he?" Liu Yang asked as they walked towards the alter

"I don't know" Tina smiled trying to not panic

"He'll be there when you get there" Daniel smiled as the music started and everyone prepared to watch the show as **'Day 1' by HONNE** played and Artie came down the isle singing to his bride

"Artie" Tina laughed before she started dancing to the intro, his random was what had drawn her to him in the first please, it was nice to know he hadn't changed, she giggled at Sam, Blaine and Kurt coming up behind him everyone had their part

 _ **Artie:** You'll always be my day 1, day zero when I was no one, I'm nothing by myself, you and no one else, thankful you're my Day 1, thankful you're my_  
_I got lucky finding you, I won big the day that I came across you, cause when you're with me, I don't feel blue, not a day goes by that I would not redo_  
_**Artie, Sam, Blaine, Kurt, Mike:** Everybody wants to love ( **Blaine:** Yeah that's right) it's easy when you try hard enough ( **Artie:** That's right_)

"Artie" Tina laughed, his random was what had drawn her to him in the first please, it was nice to know he hadn't changed, she giggled at Sam, Blaine, Mike and Kurt coming up behind him everyone had their part

_**Chorus: Artie, Sam, Blaine, Kurt, Mike:** You'll always be my day 1, day zero when I was no one, I'm nothing by myself, you and no one else, thankful you're my day 1, thankful you're my day 1_

_**Sam:** When I first met you, it just felt right, it's like I met a copy of myself that night, I don't believe in fate as such, but we were meant to be together that's my hunch_  
_**Artie, Sam, Blaine, Kurt, Mike:** Everybody wants true love, it's out there if you look hard enough, enough, enough_

_Chorus: **Artie, Sam, Blaine, Kurt, Mike**_

_**Blaine:** Hour by hour, minute by minute, I got mad love for you and you know it, I would never leave you on your own, I just want you to know_

_Chorus: **Artie** ( **Sam:** Day 1)_

_Chorus: **Artie, Sam, Blaine, Kurt, Mike**_

"You're beautiful" Artie smiled watching as her Dad lifted her veil and handed her hand to him

"Ditto" she giggled turning to the minister to get the deed done

"The vows you are about to make, are set in concrete that tells us you mean every word you are about to say, not just for today but for the rest of your lives" the Minister smiled at them "Look at each other and remember this day, and remember that before today you were many things to each other but after this day you will be husband and wife" he watched Tina and Artie join hands "Nothing is easier than say these words or more difficult than living them, this vow you take today is not just for today but for every single day of your lives together"

There were I do's, vows making everyone laugh when Tina promised to always be open and honest with him, even though it might take me until right before they got to sleep to get the words out, rings were exchanged and finally everyone was cheering as they watched the groom kiss his bride, disturbed by Xiu running up to the Minister and five minutes later they were acting out another ceremony as she captured the five minute vows and Tina and Arite stood in the traditional wedding attire for her sister

"Come on" Xiu rushed them on "Ten minutes before the next wedding"

"We'll just keep this on and do our real pictures after" Artie told her, surprised she didn't say anything back "Did you hear that?" he asked Tina

"What?" she looked at her Mom and then back at her new husband

"Silence, she didn't say anything"

"That's because you're my husband now, things just changed Mr Abrams"

"For the better I'm guessing Mrs Abrams" he kissed her smiling

"What did you think about the intro?"

"I loved it" she laughed

"Sam was super down about it, said if I fucked that up there might not be any wedding" he laughed

"Sam thinks too much, I bet he gets brownie points tonight for that performance" she laughed grabbing his hand

"Sam pays attention to detail, that's not a bad thing"

"There's nothing bad about Sam, he'd my girls heart, that counts for a lot"

"I guess she says the same about me?" he asked fishing

"When we get together, do you really think we have time to share information about you guys, I do that with my best friend" she grabbed his arm again setting him moving

"I thought Mercy was your best friend"

"No, Mercy's my girl, best friend that would be you Mr Abrams"

"When did that happen" he laughed

"The day you went down on one knee" she giggled "We've always been each others day one, I really loved the song, thank you" she smiled kissing him as they found seats


	22. Chapter 22

**14.40**

**Santana**

"This is a very untraditional way to do things" Mike smiled at Santana as they parted company after Tina and Artie's photo session "But I'll see you up there in about twenty minutes"

"I love our untraditional way" she giggled "And I love you"

"I'm still buzzing from yesterday, and of course still in love with you" he kissed her quickly grabbed Finn's hand and walked away, she stood watching the two best men in her life talking as they walked, he really was his son

"Shit, his son" she turned remembering that in all the mayhem she hadn't called Matt to tell him anything, she grabbed her phone and made the quick call "Matt" she giggled at what she was about to tell him "This all happened so quickly I didn't have time to send..."

"I know" he laughed "Congratulations to you both"

"How did you..."

"Mike brought Finn round to tell me, he was kind of freaking out that I'd think he wanted Mike to totally replace me, so we talked"

"What Finn knew?" she laughed

"Swore us to secrecy, Britt and me" he laughed "We were going to come but then Mike called and told us about that friend of yours Mercy and thatSam guy, she wasn't up for it, something about a bad omen"

"Yeah I heard the story, I'll tell you one day but..."

"It's nearly 3pm, I know, good luck"

"Thanks" she smiled putting the phone down, looking out at the blue sea, Mike really had thought of everything, he was her Man, she needed something she took her phone out and called the only person she knew could deliver "Mercy" she called when her girl answered the phone "I need a favour" she giggled

"Come on Daydreamer" Kate stood in Santana's cottage door shouting to her "Get in here" she waved her in "Anybody would think it was me getting married today"

"Sorry" she closed the call and ran in grinning "I forgot to tell Finn's Dad, would you believe?"

"I would, we forgot to tell Stevie's Mom when we did it" she laughed "And she'd calmed down some when Sam and Mercy got hitched"

"If I'd have been there that woman would have gotten her first bitch slapping"

"I've given plenty in my dreams asleep and awake" she laughed "Come on" she sat her down looking at both their reflections in the mirror "Hair is perfect" she looked at Santana's reflection smiling "You have a veil and this" she stepped off to go get her wedding dress

"Wow" Santana smiled covering her mouth with surprise "It's beautiful" she stood looking at the cream dress obviously made to be as one with her skin, clinging to every curve, with off the shoulder straps instead of sleeves, a cute V neck and the longest trail

"There's a note" Kate unpinned it and passed it to her

"To Mommy, my Princess" she read "Oh he chose this" she hugged the note tears of joy springing into action

"Come on lets get into it before the whole place is flooded" Kate laughed at Santana's ugly cry, gabbing her veil to put it on before helping her to step into her dress "Beautiful" she smiled at the finished look

"He done good" Santana stood swinging from left to right trying to catch every angle in the dress "Real good" she finally stood still smiling

**Mike**

He'd been huffing from the last ceremony, Harry hadn't stopped criticising everything about the weather, insects, food, drinks everything and his Dad was getting the blunt of it, which in turn meant he was hearing it "Isn't it time you went and collected Santana?" he asked Harry, half smiling at his Dad

"Imagine, you'll have no more to worry about once he takes her off your hands" Li Jie laguhed

"I don't worry, she loves him, for whatever reason" Harry huffed

"No one is ever going to be good enough for your daughter, I know" Li Jie laughed "I still hate my Son in law"

"I joke Li Jie, Mike is good for my daughter, very good, and Finn"

"We love the boy as if he were our own blood" Li Jie told him sincerely

"You ready to take on the burden called Santana Lopez?" Harry asked his chuckled turned into a laugh as she spoke

"Are you ready to give her away?" Mike asked

"You promise to look after her yes?"

"Of course" he puffed his chest up telling her Dad

"So I guess everyone's ready, see you there" he turned and left the room to go collect his daughter

"That man" Li Jie shook his head frowning

"Is my new Dad so respect him, it's a tough day for him"

"I guess" Li Jie looked at his son smiling "You look ready"

"I am" he smiled walking off to get to the beach ceremony with his Dad

**The Wedding**

**15.00**

Mike stood at the alter him and his Dads in navy blue waistcoats, his Mom in a pretty light blue lace calf length, off the shoulder dress, Finn's suit a mini replica of Mike's as the two men stood side by side waiting for the woman in their lives to walk down the isle, he giggled at the Santana of it all when the music started and his bride appeared walking across the sand, to Sam singing 'To The Man Wo Let Her Go' by Tyler Shaw

_"Bring her flowers on a weekday, run a bath just to let her know, just to let her know she means the world to me..."_

she smiled when she looked at her Dad's face and saw water, he very rarely showed affection about anything, the last time she recalled anytng like this was the day Finn was born, and he might have been wiping tears at his Christening too, but there was a lot of smoke at the time, so she couldn't count that. Tears fell down her face as she focused on Mike's face, he was so proud and he didn't need to say the words it was written on his face, he loved her, today she really knew what that looked like. More tears reeled down her face at seeing Finn dressed like a mini Mike beside him, his face more serious than she'd ever remembered her Dad's being making her giggle, which in turn put Finn at ease

_"Tell me, how did I ever get so lucky, that she wasn't with somebody, so I could have her for my own, my own, my own..."_

She smiled as they came to a standstill and her Dad turned to her, kissing her cheek, she burst with joy as his whispered in her ear "I love you so much princess, you look beautiful" it was the first time since before she'd left for college, he'd actually told her that, she'd always felt like a disappointment, especially after Finn happened, this was fast becoming the best day of her life "Ready?" he asked, she was ready she shook her head nodding at him, watching as he pulled back her vail and kissed her cheek before taking her hand and passing it to Mike, her husband to be took her full attention from that moment

"You look beautiful" he told her kissing her lips lightly, their attention taken by Finn grabbing at her hand

"Sweetie you look so handsome" she cupped his face telling him, before bending to kiss his cheek, he looked back at them proud of himself

_"Now she's beside me, can't stop thinking, why did you ever think to let go?, not complaining, I'm just saying, your loss is mine to hold, so to the man who let her go, I'm thanking you the most, you the most, you the most..."_

Everyone stood watching them watch each other as they stood waiting for the song to end so they could take their vows

"That was so you" she giggled whispering in his ear as he wrapped his arm around her

"That was different" the Minister echoed as everyone clapped

"Okay, we've had a funny day today, two weddings in the same party and it doesn't stop there because now Finn has vows he wants his parents to say to each other" the Minister laughed looking down at the 7 year old "You must know if a child can see the problem in a relationship, its a real problem" he laughed "So here goes" he took the sheet of paper and opened it up to start reading "So Mike, do you promise to kill spiders and everything else that Santana deems creepy or gross?" everyone laughed

"She's really scared of them" he grinned "I do" Mike told the Minister looking into Santana's eyes

"And if you guys should ever find yourself sinking in a paddle boat, do you agree that it's your turn to swim?" he asked Mike a bit puzzled at the question

"I do" he laughed "You had to be there" he told the congregation

"And do you promise to let Santana have what she wants in the lingerie store because she can never have enough?"

"Ha" he pointed at Finn laughing "I do" looking back at the minister "I do" he nodded solemnly

"Okay Santana, it's your turn" he smiled "Do you promise to attend car shows with Mike and at least pretend to show interest in horsepower, engines, and custom modifications, even if you have no idea what he's talking about?"

"Oh that's going to be so hard" she looked around at their guests, her eyes falling on Finn before she replied "I do"

"And will you promise to come fishing, provided Mike takes care of anything slimy, scaly, pokey, or just plain mean-spirited?"

"I definitely do" she nodded

"Do you promise to ease up on your visits to the shoe store because Mike might be right when he tells you, you have more than enough?"

"This is so hard... I do"

"Last one, do you promise to scoop the kitty litter and try not to bring home any more strays?"

"I do" she giggled

"I think that's it" the Minister laughed "Please take hands" he looked at them before looking into the congregation "I'm talking to everyone, I hope your sitting near or next to someone you love" he paused for everyone to do as he'd asking "Taking the hand of one who loves you is a powerful symbol of that unspoken bond" he looked into the congregation "Hold your loved ones hand, take a good look at your partner's hands, so you may see the gift that they are to you. these are the hands of your best friend, that are holding yours on this day. These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future, these are the hands that when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours" he smiled before looking back at Mike and Santana "In recognition of that could we exchange rings?" They were exchanged before the final words were said and the Minister pronounced them Man and wife, to cheers and claps from their guests

Harry went off to check the reception hall, the four tables draped in fine white china, crystal glasses and gold cutlery, with Gold tiebacks around the chairs and long stem white lily's on each table, the table closest to the bride and groom for the children


	23. Chapter 23

**The Reception**

**16.00**

"Mercy, spit in my fucking eye for swearing, but I swear to god I just saw Sam's birth thing in the reception" Rachel ran over to her gasping "Do we need to get out of here?"

"No" Mercy laughed "We know she's here, Sam doesn't want to deal with her until after the wedding"

"So what she's sleeping in the same hotel as us tonight?" Rachel asked holding her chest

"Rachel" Mercy rolled her eyes at the drama the woman was bringing, watching as she went off to tell Quinn the news

"Seriously?" Quinn came rushing over seconds later

"Could we keep this under wraps until everyone's had their day please?" Mercy begged "It's not fair on the couples"

"The second they go off to get married sex, we need to deal with this, get rid of the wicked witch, I'm sure your familiar with The Wiz" Rachel told her

"I'm familiar, but Sam and Stevie have got this, leave it to them"

"Mercy" Sam shouted from near the waters edge "Come on photos" he called trying to stop the girls from running into the waves as he spoke

"Tina must be ready again" she turned to Quinn and Rachel telling them before she stepped off to be with her family, they went through a few combinations before the entire wedding party stood with the sea glistening in the background and lanterns shedding light as cameras flashed

"One last one" Santana held her hand up shouting "Clan of 2018" she yelled everyone went running to front of camera "Come on Mike" she called pulling him in when he got there

"Do your high school pose" Rachel shouted just as the camera was about to do it's click, everyone doing something they'd have dared not do on their last picture for their year book

**17.30**

"Okay" Harry shouted "Lets eat and talk a bit more about the happy couples" it was late when they walked into the dining room through balloons saying the couples names, everyone needed feeding so no sooner had they been seated Sam ordered the food be served.

Once the children were laughing again, the evening carried on "Order" Sam shouted across the room, watching as one of the staff brought the microphone over to him "I should be in my elements now" he held the mic up laughing "But it's been a while since I needed to be serious about my sh... self so I'll try" he looked at Mercy sitting beside him "I guess everyone's got something to say so if we give five minutes each that should do it"

"Starting with me" Harry announced sat between Mercy and Santana

"Yes, so please give a hand for the Father of the newly named bride, Mrs Santana Chang" Sam announced handing the mic over to Harry before sitting down

**Harry to Santana**

"I'd firstly like to thank you all for coming today I didn't expect to see so many people celebrating my daughter's wedding, if I'm honest" he smiled at the crowd "All be it because of another wedding" he laughed "I was going to make jokes at my brother in law and tick my wife's family off big time" he giggled to him self "But alas even now she spoils my fun" he looked down at his daughter "Isn't she beautiful?" he asked smiling with the smiling faces around the room

"Santana still lives at home" he laughed "She's in for such a shock" he looked at Mike smiling "I can see her coming back from her honeymoon, it's not going to take that long for reality to hit" he laughed to himself "I'll ask, as I usually do when she comes back from any trip, how was the trip" he laughed "And she'll reply?" he looked at her for an answer

"Oh it was so romantic, food was beautiful, Mike is amazing" she laughed

"I know the script" he looked at the guests smiling "Then the floodgates will burst, because two days before they came back he'd have started using vile language … saying things she'd never heard him say before, she'll want to come home" he chuckled "I'll be calming her down, trying to work out what he's been saying to her" everyone knew the punch line was coming "She'll come at me with words like Cook, Wash, Dust, Iron" he laughed,, everyone laughed with him

"Dad" Santana laughed tapping his hand

"But, I know my role" he looked at Mike smiling "And from this day, in light of the recent vows, I will be saying no you can't"

"Thank you" Mike laughed

"To Mike and Santana Chang" Harry held his glass up still laughing, as everyone echoed his cheer "I'll pass you on to Li Jie" he handed the mic to the man sitting next to him

**Li Jie to Mike**

"Welcome everyone, It's always the dream of parents that someday, their children will grow into happy, loving, loyal, responsible, and compassionate human beings, and we forge ahead taking on the responsibility of making that happen" he looked at Mike before carrying on

"We believe that what you give to your children is what they give back to the world, and to that end we gave him unconditional love, hoping that he, too, would share his love with others, watching Mike mature into a fine young man as the years whizzed by has been my greatest joy ever"

"Being your parents is a joy and privilege and we want you to know we love you so much" he held his son's shoulder telling him

When you became best friends with Santana, I had this comforting assurance that you had met the love of your life and I'm so excited that you've found Finn he's a joy to know and love" he looked at his Grandson smiling "Santana" his eyes went to her "We're thankful that you agreed to marry Mike. If there were ever one person in this entire world I could pick for him, it would be you and only you. You already are but I'd like to take this opportunity to officially welcome you both into our family with open arms, we know that these new bonds will strengthen as the years pass, to the bride and groom" he held his glass up for the second toast

**Liu Yang to Tina**

"Good evening everyone" Liu Yang smiled, a smile that in itself made everyone laugh "I know Art and T will make a good match, and I know this because he learned his life lessons early in the relationship" he assured everyone "I remember meeting Art that second time, I think the first time he was too scared to speak, we had this profound conversation that learned me something" he laughed to himself

"We did?" Artie looked at him shocked

"It did, I think Xiu and I were having one of our never ending non- argument, arguments you know the ones when no one wants to let the other have the last word, but the children are there so you don't want it to sound like an argument?" he looked around the room at laughing parents

"We know those" Tina laughed rolling her eyes

"He learned me that in any relationship as a man you'll find it difficult to get the last word in any discussion. but he told me with time, I'd learn how to get that all important last word in every discussion" he looked at Artie again smiling "Of course I asked him how, he smiled at me and said just make sure your last words are, yes dear" he laughed "And give him his due it's always worked

"Until now" Xiu laughed with everyone else

"He's a very wise man Mr Abrams, he hung onto my daughter, and she's a hell of a catch" he smiled at his daughter "We'd like you all to raise your glasses again to Artie and Tina Abram"

**Daniel to Artie**

"I hope you're all paying attention to all this advice being thrown at you" he got up grabbing the mic from Liu Yang "What I've got to say is straight forward really We've been thinking about what we wanted to say today Jeana and I, and we came up with this" he took his script out of his pocket "As you begin your life together as a married couple, we wonder if there is anything we can say to you that will be of any value. I have to say that we simply ignored most of the advice we received when we were starting our lives together, until we found out through our own mistakes and experience that it was good advice" he smiled looking back at his wife before he carried on

"So, instead of offering advice today, we want to make a request of you both, we ask you, Artie and Tina, to just keep loving each other, today that's so easy, and maybe it's hard to imagine otherwise, but sometimes life does get busy and difficult and we can get distracted from what is really important. but remember, you've decided that your love for each other is important enough to make a lifetime commitment, always remember that, even in the difficult times. it's simple just keep loving each other and your life will fall into place beautifully" he smiled at his son "I love you boy"

"Back at you Dad" Artie smiled

"And you girl" he grabbed Tina's face kissing her cheek "So, family and friends, let's raise a glass and toast to a lifetime of love and happiness for Tina and Artie" he smiled taking a sip before passing the mic to Artie

**Artie**

"Ladies and Gentlemen are there any here" he asked before settling down "Friends and family on behalf of my beautiful wife and myself" he smiled as everyone cheered "Thank you very much for being here today. I can safely say it wouldn't have been the same without you all…although it would have been cheaper" he giggled "I'd like to thank Liu Yang, my new father-in-law for all the kind words and wishes, and Xiu for all the unkindness over the last 7 years and for keeping a straight face when they heard I had proposed to their daughter. I've always chosen to assume those were tears of joy, Xiu" he watched her laugh at that

"You'll never know" Xiu told him

"I'd also like to thank Mom and Dad, Sam and Mercy, Rachel and Quinn, Kurt and Blaine everyone actually, for all their love and support. If it wasn't for Mercy, I literally wouldn't be standing here now. Thanks for the ride, guys" he sat down shy on his face

**Mike**

"First off I'd like to say thanks Dad for the kind words, I've left the $40 in your room" he laughed

"Thanks" Li Jie gave him a thumbs up

"Nobody knows this but this morning I found a note in my jacket pocket, it read 'Received one daughter in perfect condition, fully guaranteed, fully warranted, comes complete with all extras. Keep topped up with expensive jewellery and fine wine' from Harry, obviously and I questioned his perception of me"

"But then Santana just took one out her purse it said 'Received one son, sold as is, no refunds under any circumstances, plus we've changed the locks so you're stuck with him' I know that's from my Dad and I thought fair swop" he laughed "The man never stops"

"Never" his Dad laughed

"Well so you know, it's payback so just like you get your wife to broach the hard topics with me, like moving out, getting a job, being serious about life, I'll be sending mine to deal with hard topics with you, so beware" he laughed, looking at his Dad "I've got nothing much more to say, except I love my wife and thanks everyone for being here today" he held his glass up smiling

"Cheers" the room hollered back at him

"Cheers" he smiled before sitting down and handing the mic back to Sam  


	24. Chapter 24

**Reception**

**18.30**

**Sam**

"Well" Sam stood up smiling "What do you say after such fantastic speeches?" he asked the guests "For the record, that was the longest I've ever heard Mike speak and probably the shortest for Artie, but going from what I've seen so far of their Father in laws that's about to change for the better" he looked at Mike smiling

"I'd like to first off congratulate Artie, Tina, Mike and Santana we've all had the pleasure of enjoying their company at least over the last weekend, 9 years or lifetime and I'm sure you'll all agree, they were made for each other" he smiled as everyone clapped

"A great part of my job today is to thank the bridal party Leon, Grace, April, Chloe, Finn, Junior and of course Hannah and Rebecca, they did a great job keeping us all in check" he looked at the table with the children on, smiling

"Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I did what I felt was required, and borrowed a book from some other poor guy who had Suffered the same fate" he laughed "On opening the book, the first page said something like 'at the reception the best man should help to keep things running smoothly by buying drinks and socialising' well I'll have a chat with everyone but at $45 a head for two hours of bar time, I've brought my own hip flask, which with the best will in the world is only going to go round the top table and me, so I urge you to grab something and fill it up outside, once the table wine finishes" he smiled as everyone laughed

"I hope everyone enjoyed what for me was a brilliant double wedding celebration, unfortunately every silver lining has a cloud, so here I am" he laughed "I went to school with Mike" he turned to his left looking at his friends "We were in the football team together he was ace then, a great all rounder and I guess he'd have to be with someone like Santana who herself back then was a great all... cheerio" he giggled, watching Mike jump out his skin

"On a more serous note, Mike was an active child, like myself, he enjoyed most sports, football, fishing, cricket and karate. I know his dream was to play football for his county, so I guess four years later he was distracted by Santana, because obviously he decided to take on a whole new world called Miss Lopez, Mike has always been a bit of an animal lover, especially those of an exotic nature" he laughed looking at Santana watching Mike shaking his head telling him again not to go there

"I recall we went on a field trip to a Butterfly Centre" he quickly changed the subject smiling "And at lunch time we were sat eating when his eye strayed to an iguana sat soaking up the sun. Quick as a flash Mike threw his jacket over it, and legged it out of the front gates with the iguana under his arm. Sue; the iguana, became a permanent fixture to his bedroom curtain for a number of years, so now hopefully everyone can understand why he hesitated to come with Santana on Thursday" everyone laughed

"Good save" Mike smiled

"I'll have to stop there, he was always better than me at Karate"

"And of course I met Artie at college" he turned to his  left to focus on him now "I'm told their relationship came about from a impromptu hook up by my wife who saw something special and went ahead setting it up to bring us here today" he smiled at Artie and Tina

"I enlisted the help of Artie's family to get contacts for his school friends, to get some dirt on him for the occasion, I got some detail from his Mom and decided to write an email asking for any funny anecdotes of his youth, to encourage a response I offered a bottle of champagne for any good material I used. Out of the 10 people I eventually got hold of I received 2 replies, one was just totally inappropriate to read out here and the other read 'I am currently out until Wednesday, if your mail is urgent sucks for you' so I guess the champagne belongs to me" he laughed

"Five minutes" Harry pointed at his watch telling Sam

"That rule was for you guys, I've got two grooms to fit in" he laughed

"That's not fair" Harry sulked

"I'll be quick" Sam smiled "Music has always been a passion for us, I think for most of us that's how we met, they say you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep, this has never been more evident than now as I stand here with everyone's friends and family they hold dear and I feel privileged to be a part of this day" he held his glass up "Now its customary, I hear, for the best man to give some words of wisdom to the newly weds on marriage, so I've drawn up a short list" he held the top of a sheet of paper to read his list "1. Set the ground rules and establish who's the boss... then do everything she says"

"That's right" Andrea laughed loudly

"Scary" Sam smiled looking at his Mother in law "2. The best way to remember your anniversary, is to forget it once" he laughed

"I think you know that one well" Sanja told Li Jie

"I thought I was teaching everyone something here" Sam laughed "3. To help the course of true love run smooth, never forget those three very important words you must say every day..." he looked at the crowd "Your right Love" he frowned at Mercy "And 4. This one's for the bride's, don't keep him in the dog house too long or he might give his bone to the woman next door" he giggled

"Sam" Mercy slapped his hand for the crassness "Okay I'll stop there" he laughed "It gives me great pleasure, to ask you all to stand and raise your glasses, to the new Mr & Mrs Abrams and of course Mr & Mrs Chang

"To the newly weds" everyone cheered taking a sip of their drink before sitting down "Well that's the end of the formalities, so I guess all that's left to do is cake and first dance"

"I've set that up" Blaine smiled

**19.00**

"I'm afraid you haven't heard the last of my voice for the night" Sam laughed when they got to the function room, a bit different to the dining room with it's lavender, Ivory and white décor, a DJ system set up in the corner and two tables with wedding cakes on, then smaller tables and chair dotted around the room "Now comes the cutting of these beautiful cakes" he looked at the two tables with three tier cakes on "So I'd like Artie and Tina to walk around to the front of this bridal table on the left, and Mike and Santana to walk around the front of that bridal table on the right to perform their first duty as husband and wife" he smiled as he watched them move "Could we get photos of all this please?" he asked the photographer

"Sure"

"One of life's tragedies is that we actually have to cut these beautiful pieces of art…but it would be a greater tragedy if we left them uneaten…" he laughed "Can we get some music?" he asked the coordinator nodding his head for service "And get your phone out for those that can't wait" he smiled as Blaine started the guys contribution to the evening with their rendition of **'Cheerleader' by JP Cooper**

_**Blaine:** Hanging up my boots now, gonna put some roots down, baby, we got something good, in a world gone crazy,_

_**Kurt:** give me your hand, I'm never gonna let go, here in you arms, I finally feel at home_

_Chorus: **Sam, Blaine & Kurt**_

_Take my heart, take my coat, honey, I'll be laughing when your jokes ain't funny, I'm the only cheerleader that you'll ever need_   
_Take my name, put yours in front of it, darling, you can even take my wallet, I'm the only cheerleader that you'll ever need_

"5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1" they counted down as the first chorus finished, and the cakes were cut

_**Artie:** You know I made my mind up, sorry, darling, you're stuck with me,_

_**Mike:** Talking to your father, asking for his blessing,_

_**Artie & Mike:** I wanna tell the whole world, sing it from the rooftops, this is your love song, are you gonna sing along_

_Chorus x 2: **Sam, Blaine, Kurt, Mike & Artie**_

"I think it's appropriate that you guys should kiss your bride" Harry announced stopping the song "That wasn't a kiss, that was a peck. I said a kiss" he laughed watching the two couples getting as close to ex-rated as they could with children in the room "Yes" he cheered clapping his hands with satisfaction. The couples quickly shared a drink though linked hands as everyone watched before the cake want off to be sliced, their pieces came back and they fed each other a piece each while the Minister again blessed their union

"The first dance" Mike mouthed to Sam obviously eager to get out of his suit

"The Brides and Grooms will open the dancefloor before they go off to get changed" Sam announced with Becky in his arms "I hear this is a long promised song" he smiled watching as Mercy got behind her piano to sing their present, which was her awaiting to be released version of **'Heavenly' by Priscilla Renea** to the happy couples

_Been watching you watching me, I've been dancing with you in my dreams, I know we've been put right here, for a reason_   
_I'm too dizzy to count the stars, still I can feel every beat of your heart, you gave me something real, to believe in_   
_It's magical, beautiful, natural, this love is heavenly, this love is meant to be, bigger than you, bigger than me this love is heaven, heavenly, heavenly_

_What did I do to deserve how good I feel when you're touching me? there in your eyes I see my forever_   
_It's simply incredible natural this love is heavenly, this love is meant to be bigger than you, bigger than me, this love is heaven, heavenly, heavenly_

_Baby you're an angel, yeah baby you really are sent from above, all I really know really this is love_   
_And it's magical, powerful, natural, this love is heavenly this love is meant to be bigger than you, bigger than me this love is heaven, heavenly, heavenly_

The couples stood whispering to each other as they danced, kissing when the song finished "Thank you" Tina mouthed to Mercy before they left to get changed ready for the party, the DJ pumping music making their bodies jump involuntarily as the reggae beats pumped through the sound system. Just over an hour later the couples arrived back at the party it was in full swing, people on the dancefloor getting into the lively music, the DJ dancing harder that his audience the smell coming from behind his sound system giving them a hint of why

"Okay" Kurt stopped the music, there's an awful lot to celebrate today two weddings, Tina being recognised by Vogue as a stand along designer, Mercy's new release we've just had the privilege of hearing, meeting all the children for the first time" he smiled "Having all the families here and of course Sam's new Album which is fantastic I must add, having heard it through the back door"

"Reminds me of when Sam and I had gotten signed to the same record label" Mercy smiled

"And when I sold my first big project" Tina added

"Wasn't that just around the time you guys went off into the world of marriage and theatre"? Rachel asked Blaine

"Yeah" he laughed "And for all that we had that crazy night out" he laughed looking around the room

"Remember the song?" Mercy asked the shaking heads

 ** _"I want to build my world around you, keep you safe from everything..."_ **Artie sang in his best Jamaican accented voice everyone dancing as if the music was there

"Well we don't have the weed tonight but..." Mercy smiled watching the knowing looks on her friends faces

"You didn't" Tina screamed at her friend

"Lets go crazy" Mercy laughed as **'She's The One' by Mavado** played, the curtain moved revealing the man himself "Ladies and Gentleman Mavado" Mercy laughed moving her body to the rhythm, before grabbing Sam to dance, Mavado and his friends kept them entertained on the dancefloor for a while


	25. Chapter 25

**The Reception**

The party went on for a while as the crowd, got various genre of music keeping them entertained into the night, the children finally went off to bed around 10pm with their Grandparents in tow, Chloe and April with Mercy's parents, they didn't want to leave their cousins. The brides and grooms said their goodnights around 11.30pm leaving the few people dotted around sipping on the last of their drinks and talking, the music now low enough to make conversation easy

"I'm scared to go to bed" Rachel sat telling Quinn, Kate and Mercy

"She's after Kate and Me if anybody" Mercy laughed

"Thanks for the words of comfort" Kate knocked Mercy laughing

"If truth be told I'll sleep like a log, it's been a long day" Mercy told her

"And it looks like it's going to be an even longer night" Kate looked over at Sam and Stevie having a conversation

"We'll leave you guys to it" Quinn pulled Rachel up and left the hall, Rachel protesting at missing the action

"I guess it's good night from us too" Blaine got up almost as the same time dragging Kurt with him

"Goodnight" Kurt waved, watching Sam give them a nod acknowledging they were leaving, while he was still in deep conversation

**Mercy & Kate**

"What do you think?" Mercy asked Kate

"It's been nearly 13 years since we've been married and to be honest I can't remember Stevie saying a good word about the woman, I can't see that changing over night"

"Yeah" Mercy sighed "Granted she's got some work to do, but I hope it all works out for them, Sam craves his Mothers love"

"Stevie does too, and I guess he over compensates with my parents sometimes, and then hates himself for it"

"Sam does that too, hates himself for thinking about her I mean"

"And we both know that means bringing on the sex, with those Evans guys" she smiled looking over at them again "I think we've got a full day ahead of us tomorrow"

"Yeah I think so too" Mercy looked over at Sam smiling

"Are you two alright?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Mercy looked at her concerned

"I just... it's none of my business really" she looked across at the two men deep in conversation

"No just say, we're family right?"

"Yeah" Kate replied unsure of how she was going to say what she was thinking "It's just that you two are usually inseparable and today you seemed distant, not like arguing distant just... I don't know what other word to use, sorry"

"Well he hadn't seen the children for over a week and you know how he is with them, and then he was totally stressed about the best man stuff, and to top it all his Mom's here he doesn't like to be around me when he's feeling like that, he doesn't even like me touching him, I guess I'm respecting his space" she smiled "When he's ready he'll come to me" she looked over at him still talking "Plus it's not very often he sees Stevie" she sighed thinking she'd given enough excuses

"That's true I must admit Stevie couldn't talk about anything else all the way here" she laughed "So be honest what do you think life with the wicked witch in it will look like?"

"I'd like to think she wouldn't be so wicked, especially if she was expecting to be around the children"

"I don't think I'd want Chloe and April to meet her until Stevie was absolutely sure, I mean written guarantees and shit" Kate laughed out loud

"I think Sam would want that even before we had the conversation about the children" Mercy laughed just as loud getting their attention for a second, both men stopped to smile at their wives before getting back to their conversation "Never mind them how are the girls doing?"

"Well you know Chloe's going to be the bossy one, they tend to fight with their minds, they know what Stevie would say about them fighting, but they do a lot of that, I can see the sharing boyfriend thing coming soon" she laughed "They try to pull the wool over our eyes sometimes"

"But even I know them apart" Mercy laughed

"You'll get it all when the girls grow up I'm sure"

"I'm sure we will" Mercy laughed wondering how Sam was going to let that ride with their girls

Chloe and April were identical to the untrained eye, with their curly dark brown waist length hair, green eyes, slender frames and signature Evans lips, they looked very much like their Dad except for the dark brown hair, but everything about the way they acted was their Mom. Kate a tall, slender, with dark brown hair, had an Irish accent, loved a good crack; when she was in the right company, and very pretty with the most amazingly piercing blue eyes against her yellow-brown coloured skin made her look mysterious. She was a Piano teacher at the local high school in Lima, Ohio, she'd met Stevie at her first teaching placement in her first year at college, he was a student teaching history back then, not very happy in his placement and grateful for the distraction. She was trying to make him love his subject and pass his course, he was trying to get her to love him, she fell in love with him and he fell in love with music, he went back to college the second semester to study the arts, by the middle of that second semester the twins were on their way.

Of course he introduced her to his parents, got the talk about him only being twenty years old, how disappointed they were about the whole thing and then his Mother forbid him to marry her or have anything to do with the child. His Dad sort of went along with things, his Mom was heavily pregnant at the time and they didn't need the stress, Stevie chose Kate, he walked away with her, they didn't even realise he was leaving, he saw her to the door and never went back.

"We've done pretty well without her to be honest, I don't need the disruption"

"Neither do I" Mercy smiled thinking about her bundle of joy no one needed to know about just yet

**Sam & Stevie**

"What's up Bro?" Stevie sat at the table Sam was sitting at looking sorry for himself

"Nothing" he looked up shaken out of his thoughts

"You may be able to shrug some off with that shit, but I know you baby bro somethings up" he looked at him "Is it Mom being here?"

"Do you still call her that?" he looked up at his brother asking

"Only between us" he laughed grabbing his shoulder "Come on you can tell me anything remember"

"I... I don't want to share just yet" he stopped himself from opening the floodgates

"So it is Mercy then?" Stevie shook him smiling "I knew there was something going on between you guys, what's she done now, is it that Tyrone guy again?"

"She's never done anything with Tyrone" his head sprung up telling his brother, but searching for something he might not know at the same time "Stop that shit Stevie, you're making me doubt my wife"

"And that right there makes me know somethings going on, that's not the way you think about that woman and you know that"

"I guess we're gearing up to go through a bad time for a while"

"What you plan well ahead for your arguments?"

"No" Sam laughed looking over at Mercy sat talking to Kate "We don't really argue, I tell her I love her every day and she tells me back"

"So the bad time is because Mom's here?" he asked his words slow like he was trying to get the flow of the conversation "Is Mercy that against her?"

"Actually no I don't think she is, I think she'd love it if the woman changed, she's always wanted me to have a relationship with that birth woman but... I don't know I find it hard to forgive"

"Birth woman?" Stevie laughed "Funny" he sat looking at his brother knowing he was still troubled "That's not it is it?" he waited for Sam to look at him before carrying on "I assumed that and you let me carry on, you're so Dad" he huffed "What is it?"

"You have to promise me you'll say nothing to no one and Mercy can't know we've had this conversation"

"Hey, this is us, I wouldn't do that to you, and I hope you wouldn't do that to me"

"I wouldn't but I want you to promise anyway"

"I promise" he smiled

"Mercy's pregnant again" he looked into Stevie's eyes waiting for a reaction

"That's good news isn't it?"

"Yeah" they looked at the two women sitting laughing loudly "Remember we have that time when we came to visit and she was having terrible heartburn, mood swings, and we were snapping at each other?"

"God yeah" he rolled his eyes at the memory "But she calmed down in the third trimester didn't she?"

"Yeah well it wasn't really mood swings as such, we'd already lost two babies before we were able to hold onto Hanny and Becky, she needed surgery and well.. we" his hand went to the back of his head nervous for sharing this part of their relationship with his brother "We couldn't be intimate for like the first two trimesters, she has to have the operation again after the first trimester and give it another to four weeks to settle in"

"But everything will be alright then?"

"Yeah but the thing is we don't work well without, you know"

"Dude she's your wife, you're going to have to make it work" he huffed telling him "What do you expect her to do run around on you, or is that you thinking of running around on her?"

"No of course not it's just, we don't work well with out the physical contact, it's hard for us, we hate ourselves and blame each other, it's just what we do"

"I'm not about to tell you how to handle your wife, all I can offer is, if it gets too bad get on a flight and deliver the girls, we'll always have them, while you two sort stuff out"

"I'm hoping them being there might make us a bit more civil with each other" he chuckled uneasily "But I know Mercy and I know myself" he frowned "And now all this stress with Gail turning up just poses another threat to the situation, I haven't been near her much today because I don't want her thinking or me feeling like sex, because then we'll start shouting at each other and it's just all too much right now" he held his head with is hands "This is our wedding song" his head jumped up as the DJ shouted last tune

"So much for keeping your hands off her" Stevie smiled

"I don't have hands for anyone else" he smiled "Mercy this is us" he jumped up walking towards her when the words of the song they'd released with bits of their wedding day video, got to her ears, she smiled and got up to meet him on the dancefloor, Kate and Stevie joining them as they moved around the floor while **'Rewrite The Stars' by James Arthur & Ann Marie** played their minds going back to Rachel and Blaine singing as they danced around the floor

"You alright?" she asked

"Yeah I'm fine" he smiled kissing her forehead before she rested her head on his chest and let the music, sun and romance of it all take them away

"Goodnight" the couples waved leaving the dancefloor for their cottages when the music stopped


	26. Chapter 26

**Sunday**

**07:00**

Sam was already up when Mercy opened her eyes after feeling around the bed and not touching him "Sam" she shouted looking around the room "Sam" she shouted louder, he was making a habit of getting out of bed without her knowing it

"What's up?" he came through the door concern on his face

"I was... sorry I just didn't feel you get up"

"I slid out, Mom brought the girls round an hour ago, I'm keeping them entertained"

"I'll be out in a bit"

"Okay" he turned to walk back out the door

"Hey" she called, watching as he turned back round "I know this is going to be hard for us, and I know your stressing, but we can still say morning can't we?"

"Sorry" he smiled walking towards the bed "Morning our baby cocoon" he whispered kissing her lips

"Morning" she grinned "I love you, you know that right?"

"I know" he smiled getting up to leave the room "And I love you a bit more every damn day" he turned to tell her before he shut the door behind him

Mercy had been fine yesterday and every other day of the nearly eight weeks she'd known about the pregnancy but today, maybe because Sam knew and the wedding was over, she felt heavily pregnant. She felt frumpy, her jeans couldn't fit, so she had to put her sarong on over her slacks, she'd sat in the bedroom crying about it and trying to get her head around this pregnancy for the first time since conception, she felt like a sack and that put a downer on her day before she even stepped out of the bedroom. Her girls were on the other side of the door, so before she went out she splashed her face to get rid of the drowned rat look and wash away the tears, checked her clothes and breathed before grabbing the handle and walking out with a smile

"Morning" she smiled walking towards the table where they all were "What's for breakfast?"

"I just brought you some fruit, I didn't know what else you'd be up for" he told her frowning at the way she looked "Everything alright?" he got up and walked towards her, concerned

"Yeah" she brushed past him and went to the girls, he stood watching her, this baby shit was started, so now he was pissed too, a full eight weeks of second guessing, ranting at him, maybe the violence would come back, and on top of all that his now his main concern was trying to keep the girls away from it

"Do you want me to get you something else?" he asked deciding not to take her behaviour personal just yet

"Could you get me a piece of fried chicken two fried dumplings and some plantain, if you don't mind please" she turned to ask

"Sure, I wont be long" he slipped his sandals on and left the cottage, thinking that was more like a dinner than a breakfast but he wasn't about to stand there and argue the case with a pregnant Mercy. The hotel seemed empty today, nobody else was around he just assumed everyone had the same idea as him and dedicated the day to their families, they were going to Falmouth later that afternoon to see some of Trevor's family. He ordered the freshly cooked chicken and dumplings, grabbing one for himself and had to go back for the plantain, good job he'd remembered it before he'd actually stepped back in the cottage, god alone knows what hell that would have disturbed,

He got back and set it out on the table, watching as Mercy left the girls and hurried over to the food "Thanks babe" she smiled kissing his cheek before sitting down to devour the plate full of food "Who's that?" she asked hearing his phone ring as she shovelled food in her mouth

"Stevie, I guess it's time" his eyes left his phone and looked into her eyes "We don't have to do this if you're not up to it"

"It's fine" she half smiled, right now she wasn't up to anything let alone his family drama, but he needed this out the way actually they both did "We'll go to theirs" she got up to get ready to go out, she needed a plan B on this look she had going on "I'll just change my clothes" she wondered off to go and have some more depressing time trying to fit into clothes that sat flush against her amazing curves yesterday.

She'd been in their room for nearly twenty minutes when Sam finally decided to look in on her "Is every thing alright in he..." he broke off at seeing her sitting on the bed, in the same clothes she'd gone to change, clothes all around her crying "Okay what is it?" he sat on the bed next to her asking

"Nothing fits" she looked around at the clothes telling him "They did yesterday and now, nothing fits"

"Come on" he grabbed her hand and pulled her up, grabbing the children's hats before they all went off to the boutique to get her some clothes, she felt better doing a fashion show for them and walked out with some elasticated pants, tops, dresses and sandals

"Is that Stevie again?" she asked watching him check his phone

"Yeah, we need to get there" he shoved his phone in his pocket and grabbed Hanny and Mercy's hand watching Mercy grab Becky's before they moved off. minutes later they were standing at Stevie's cottage door "As soon as you need to we're out of there"

"Just squeeze my hand and we're up" she smiled knocking the door

"Hi" Stevie opened the door to his brother "I'll call her now get her round"

"Are we ready for this?" Kate looked at Mercy asking

"I just want it over with" Mercy replied "Don't go too far" she looked at Sam telling him

"Actually take the children out this might get nasty" Kate laughed

"I don't.." Sam started to protest

"Yeah take them out" Mercy jumped in, looking at him willing him not to spill their beans

"We'll go to Mom's cottage it's just two doors down" Sam told her, Stevie looked at him understanding his concern

"Or we could go to the pool" April suggested her angel eyes begging

"Okay" Sam smiled at his niece "To the pool" he rolled his eyes at how much of a pushover he was "Let's get Junior and Finn in on the action and see if Grace and Leon want to baby splash"

"Come on let's get out of here" Stevie told his brother, holding his arm out for his girls to follow him, Hanny and Becky were already standing with Sam, they'd heard the words take them out, they were ready

"Call" Sam walked over to Mercy kissing her on the lips before paying attention to their girls as they left the cottage

**The Conversation**

**Mercy, Kate & Gail**

Less than five minutes later there was a knock at the door Mercy and Kate looked at each other "We go down together right?" Kate held her hand telling her

"She'll go down before we do, I'm sure we could justify that" Mercy giggled

"You're right" Kate giggled walking towards the door with Mercy's hand in hers "Breathe" she smiled at her sister before opening the door

"Gail" Kate smiled opening the door for her to walk in surprised the woman had a smile on her face

"Thank you for seeing me, giving me this chance to make things up"

Mercy wanted to jump in right there and ask her if she honestly felt a fucking smile and a very weak thank you was really going anywhere near making up for the things she'd done to her but she came out with a simple "I hope it's worth it" as Kate and her stood looking at each other again

"Can we sit?" Gail asked

"Sure" Kate smiled "Do you want something to drink?"

"Right now I could do with a very large gin, but I guess that's half the problem" she smiled "I'm a recovering alcoholic, 257 days alcohol free"

"I suppose that's progress" Mercy smiled

"I suppose" she smiled weakly "But the hard parts trying to build back what you've destroyed" she frowned "This isn't how I've always been" she looked up at the two women sitting near her "I used to be nice, I laughed a lot, I loved my children and I think they loved me"

"I think they did" Kate felt forced to say

"I'd never had much to do with my in laws before my wedding, not really, I'd been to the house once, there was a formal meeting where I met Steve's brother David and his parents, it was like they'd summed me up in less than five minutes and they were out the door, I didn't see David again until the wedding day and his Mom turned up three hours late for my wedding shower, took a call and left within twenty minutes" her eyes concentrating on her hands as she spoke "I showed them my wedding ring after the wedding and there was no comment they just looked at each other and walked away. I guess the light came on when I had Stevie three years later, there were always calls but they were for Steve and when Stevie started talking they'd speak to him on the phone but they never set eyes on any of the boys"

"Stevie remembers the conversations" Kate smiled

"Sam must have been about three when their Grandfather died and we finally went back to Tennessee for the funeral, the house has 14 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, two large kitchens, pool, music room, den, two double garages and I looked in every one of them for just one picture of us at our wedding or the boys growing up just something to say we were a part of the family, but there was nothing" she huffed "I saw pictures of relatives that had been at our wedding on the day, family friends I scarcely remember from a single introduction, cats. dogs, horses, Steve even but not Stevie, Sam or me" she frowned "of course I asked Steve why that was, not that he'd been home for the longest time, but all he had to offer was they didn't like his life choices. I took that to mean they didn't like me and he never made me think anything else, after that I just started trying to prove that we were better than them, that I didn't need their approval or validation, that we were somebody"

"But that's exactly what you did to us" Mercy looked at Kate telling Gail

"And that's why I'm here saying how sorry I am for putting you through all that"

"It's not that easy Gail, where I come from people learn by their mistakes and others people's, if you didn't like that for yourself what gave you the right to do it to us?" Kate was clearly mad

"I guess I'm the last to hold my hand up but I became so protective of my children, I didn't believe anyone could love them like I did, and all that got way out of hand for me, I couldn't even tell you when I first crossed that line, what it felt or looked like, I was totally consumed" her eyes moving between the two women sitting in front of her

"So why now?" Mercy asked "What's changed?"

"We're back" Stevie walked in with Sam in tow "With snacks" the two men held their full arms out


	27. Chapter 27

**The Conversations**

**08:00**

**Kate, Stevie, Mercy, Sam & Gail**

"I guess we could stop for snacks" Kate smiled at Stevie

"Ackees and Saltfish" Sam held a plate up at Mercy, smiling as her eyes widened with excitement "And two fried dumplings" he added sitting on the couch next to her, happy she was in a better mood, which was a good sign "We decided that was enough talking" he looked across at Gail his eyes slit at he spoke

"Yeah, what were you guys talking about anyway?" Stevie sat next to Kate asking her

"Mercy just asked Gail why she's decided she wanted to call a truce now" Kate told him

"So lets hear it" Sam snapped taking a bite of his fried dumpling as he spoke "I could get addicted to these things" he looked at the food smiling

"Your Grandma Evans died a year ago, she'd asked for us not to attend the funeral so I didn't bother to tell you boys, I couldn't contact Sam anyway" she looked at him as she spoke

"Sorry to hear that" Kate told her

"It's fine, I didn't know her, not really" she smiled "But David came to see me, he got a solicitor to track us down to tell us the news, said the house belonged to the boys" she smiled at them "Apparently his Mom was the devil in the relationship, she didn't want Steve marrying beneath him, she'd told him as much but David and their Dad didn't agree with her, they kept their distance to keep the peace. He said she lived a horrid life, not having anything to do with her grandchildren, she never smiled, laughed or even cried, she was like stone alive and dead, he was glad she'd gone and he wanted to build a relationship with his nephews"

"Uncle who?" Sam asked fidgeting

"Your Uncle David" Gail replied

"Yeah I remember talking to him" Stevie smiled

"I think I remember him, Dad used to talk about his brother when we went fishing, he used to tell me funny storied about what they got up to as boys, but I never met him or knew his name was David" Sam looked at his brother, smiling at the memory

"As I said he wanted to get to know you boys, I think he was desperate to right a wrong your Grandma had done, but he was sick, he had cancer and he didn't get to make the journey back to see you" she looked from one son to the other "And I know that's not what I want for my life, its not what I want my children to think about me and it's definitely not the relationship I want with my Grandchildren, especially now I know I already have some"

"You don't" Sam hissed at her, clearly not getting out of this what everyone else was

"Sorry" she told him quickly her eyes begging for his forgiveness "I mean especially now I know you boys have children"

"I'm sure they'd like to meet you some day" Kate smiled at Gail

"I'm sorry Kate, Mercy, Stevie" Sam stood up disbelief in his voice, he couldn't hold it back any longer he was angry as hell, so much so Mercy was shocked "I guess I'm the only one remembering what this fucking woman done to us, to me" he looked around the room "She nearly ruined my fucking life, she broke Mercy's heart more than once, she asked you to leave your family, refused to have anything to do with you because of it, brought some bitch in on my wife on our wedding day, do I need to go on?"

"Sam" Stevie got up to talk to his brother

"No Stevie" he flashed his hand off him "The bitch refused to sign my college papers, she didn't want to see me make anything of myself, and now I have, without her help I might add, she wants to step back into my life, our life, and act like none of that shit happened, I'm not having it" he stepped back over to where Gail sat "So no birth woman, I'm not forgiving shit you can get the fuck out" he pointed at the door, everyone watching as it burst open and the children came running in

"Sam" Mercy jumped up and grabbed his hand, he squeezed it so tight, she knew she had to act quickly, she pulled him into the bedroom to calm him down

"So who are these young ladies?" Gail's mask coming down as she stood looking at April and Chloe walking towards them

"This is Chloe and April our girls, they're twins just turned 12 years old

"Twins" she smiled "they're so pretty, which is which?"

"I'll just..." Kate stepped forward and grabbed Hanny and Becky's hands taking them over to the bedroom their parents were in, she wasn't about to introduce their children to the woman Sam had just told to get out

"This is Chloe and this is April" Stevie pointed to the two girls as they walked towards him watching their Mom with their cousins "This is Gail" he told his daughters

"Hi" they smiled

"What are Sam's girls names?" Gail asked

"I guess he'll tell you what he wants you to know" Stevie told her

"Hannah and Rebecca" Sam came into the room telling Gail, with Hanny in his arms and Becky holding his free hand, Mercy and Kate standing behind him, calm again

"They're beautiful" she smiled

"Thank you" Sam smiled at his children

**Sam, Stevie & Gail**

"Can we talk?" she looked at Stevie and then Sam asking

"The girls have had enough of the sun already, we'll go to the beach" Sam told her, putting Hanny down before walking towards the door

"No shouting" Stevie warned him as they followed him out

"Where's your room?" Sam snapped at her, he knew there was going to be shouting and if it had anything to do with him lots of it

"344" she told him taking the lead to get there before Sam's temper overflowed

Her room was very different to their cottage accommodation with sea views and private beach loungers, hers overlooked the pool a double bed the centre piece of the room, the right side of the bed nearest the entrance, with a dresser opposite the bed, a built in wardrobe to the left bottom of the bed next to the window, a small shower room fitted with PC and sink to the right of the entrance and a TV on the wall opposite the bed and above the dresser.

She sat on the bed while her boys towered over her "Sit down" she told them patting the bed "Please" she added when they didn't move, Stevie looked at Sam before they moved and sat on the opposite side of the bed closest to the window turning to look at the woman who wanted to talk

"Ten minutes" Sam told her

"Okay" she smiled happy for the opportunity "Sam, Stevie" she looked over to where they were sitting "I know it's a lot to ask but will you let me try to be your Mom again?" she got up and walked around the bed to where they were grabbing her two son's hands "Please" she knelt in front of them begging, looking into their eyes "I'm not denying I've been the worst parent, or even the fact that I don't deserve a second chance, and I know this doesn't forgive anything, but I haven't even known who the hell I was for the past 25 years, I think everything just consumed me, rejection, pressure, grief, love and even hate, and I'm so sorry I took it all out on you" she looked at her son's sitting looking back at her, hurt in their faces

"You're trying to pull at some heart string that isn't there for you" Sam's face trying not to react as he spoke to her

"And I'm willing to work at your speed, I just want to undo all the wrong I've done"

"How do you do that Mom?" Stevie asked angrily of her "I have a gym in my house" he told her pulling his hand away from her grip "Because every time I think about where my children could have been had I listened to you, I get so mad I want to kill someone" he huffed "Don't get me wrong I love my family, but the fact that you made me choose..." he stopped himself realising he had no words to explain the feeling "I loved you Mom" he looked at her venom in his voice "Sam was all for Dad, every bit of him but back then it was me and you, and I thought you loved me back, and fuck it hurt that you didn't" he turned away from her looking through the window

"I on the other hand, feel like I never knew the feeling of a mothers love until I met Mercy's Mom, how fucking sad is that" Sam hissed invading the silence "I've got to get out of here, this is pointless, I have my family out there waiting, we don't get much time to holiday as it is and I'm here wasting time with you" he turned to walk away from her

"Sam" she grabbed his arm to stop him walking "Please, I'm begging you to give me just this one last chance to prove myself to you, to both of you" she was still on her knees as she spoke

"This is emotional blackmail" Stevie rolled his eyes at the woman almost laying begging on the floor "Sam" he looked up at his brother, both fighting back tears, their anger had quickly become heavy with every other emotion

"I'm sorry, she did too much I can't just forget it all and let her back in, what if she hurts us again, we have the children to think about now?" Sam told his brother

"We won't do or agree anything until we've talked to our families" Stevie assured him "But this has been at the back of our relationships for so long now, I can hear Kate in my ear, I really don't need to have that conversation"

"I can hear Mercy too" Sam smiled "Trouble is I don't know if I want to hear what she's going to tell me"

"Then don't let them tell you" Gail looked up at them still begging "Go with your heart, I don't want a forced relationship with my son's, this has to be what you want"

"Sam, I believe she's genuinely sorry, we can only believe what she's saying and look for the signs, she knows this is the very last chance, if she messes this up it should be down to her, not us" Stevie told him

"You're going to say that, you loved her, she loved you" Sam hissed

"I love you too" Gail stood up to look at him "How could I not, you're my baby boy"

"Sam please for me" Stevie looked at him tears rolling down his face

"Are you sure you want us to do this?" he asked, he really didn't want to deny his brother

"It's always going to be up to us Sam" he smiled hearing his wife telling him that

"It is" Sam smiled hearing Mercy telling him those same words

"I guess this is going to be a new road for us" Stevie smiled shocked when his Mom hugged him "This is your very last chance"

"I won't need any more I promise" she closed her eyes and smiled, grabbing Sam into the hug

"The very last chance" Sam told her wiping his face

"So can I officially meet those children of yours?" she looked up at them asking

"They're called Grandchildren" Sam told her, Gail didn't let go of her boys all the way back to Stevie's cottage


	28. Chapter 28

**Stevie's Family Cottage**

"Hi" Mercy smiled as they walked through the door her smile widening as she saw Sam had let his Mom touch him "You alright?" she got up to get closer to him

"Yeah I..."

"It was always going to be up to you Sam" she held her arms out happy with his choice "Come meet Hannah and Rebecca" she looked at Gail smiling. They were introduced to Gail and sat playing and talking while Sam, Mercy, Kate and Stevie sat around watching her interact with the children while they talked about what had happened, an hour had passed and it was time for lunch

"Guys, Dad wants everyone at the bar" Leon burst in looking at the woman playing with his nieces "Who's that?" he asked Sam concerned because they only ever let family near them, the outside world was banned

"It's Sam's Mom" Mercy told him walking towards the door "We'll be there in a bit" she pushed him back out the door smiling

"I won't keep you" Gail got up telling them

"It's fine you can come with us" Kate smiled at her "Kind of a baptism by fire"

"Might as well get this over with" Mercy shrugged her shoulders telling everyone, watching Sam grabbing hold of their girls Becky on his hip this time, while he held Hanny's hand, watching her protest for not being where Becky was right now

"Come on Hanny" Stevie smiled grabbing hold of the little girl and putting her on his hip, bringing a smile on Hanny's face, as Sam's look told him thank you

**The Bar**

**09:00**

"I called everyone here because I think Sam, Mercy, Kate and Steve have a problem" Rachel sat forward telling Tina, Artie, Andrea, Trevor, Santana, Mike and Quinn "Gail's turned up" she told surprised faces "She's been here since yesterday to my knowledge"

"She's here?" Andrea asked surprised, looking at Trevor, she was more than ready for this

"I saw her here yesterday, I asked them about her and they sort of said leave it till today because of the weddings"

"She turned up after that horrible story Mercy told us?" Santana asked

"She's not just got breasts she's got balls as well" Tina huffed "I say we run her out of the country, we don't have much time" she looked around the group as she spoke

"Surely that should be up to Sam and Stevie?" Mike asked shocked they were having this conversation

"Excuse him he doesn't know the background" Santana grabbed Mike's hand telling the others

"In the modified words of Sophia on the Colour Purple 'We ought to bash the bitch's head open and think bout heaven later." Quinn shared

"I could help with that, I've had no sleep last night just knowing she was near" Rachel grabbed her hand her eyes wide

"I agree with Mike, we should leave it to Sam and Stevie" Blaine gave his opinion

"This is our last day together surely we need to focus on something else" Kurt tried to move the conversation to something else

"This needs to be that woman's last day" Rachel assured him

"I was there listening to the whole nine yards and I say leave it to Sam and Stevie too" Artie looked at everyone "And because this isn't our business I suggest that was the last word" he looked up to see Sam and Stevie walking towards them with their families

"The last word about?" Stevie asked catching the last of the conversation

"We were just discussing your..." Santana started to say before she was interrupted

"...Lunch and what time we were heading out" Rachel finished seeing Gail with the crowd

"Guys this is Gail, you all know who she is" Sam laughed

"She's trying to change and we're giving her a chance" Stevie smiled as he looked at the faces screaming murder around the table

"Apparently Dad's called us all here" Mercy told them "So Dad what's going on?" she looked over at him asking

"Okay I think we're waiting on a few parents, so give it a few minutes" Trevor smiled looking around for Lui Yang and Xiu

"We're here" Liu Yang waved his hand "She's just untied me" he laughed "Much too much wine last night, I liked it actually" he giggled

"Dad" Tina rolled her eyes embarrassed

"What?" he laughed, everyone else was holding their guts, trying to hold it in for Tina's benefit

"Okay" Trevor laughed "Could we all go to the hut" he pointed in the direction of the small wooden shack where they had drinks in the afternoons

"This had better be good" Mercy warned him

The bar was still there but the chairs had been moved out the way and drums, synthesizer, guitars and a couple of mics "Another party?" Artie asked looking back at Trevor

"Sort of" he smiled looking at Leon "My youngest son fancies himself in the music business..." he smiled, watching Sam grab hold of Leon standing beside him, round the neck "And he's trying to convince me to spend money on it, I told him if he can move the hardest group of people I know I might try and invest in a decent college so without further ado Leon with his song, he's already said it's a bit nuff so... I'm expecting bad language" Trevor walked away giving his son the floor

"Sam" Leon called after he'd set himself up with a mic over the drums "Do you want to get behind that?" he pointed at the other guitar "Artie" he nodded at the Synth grabbing the drums for himself "You'll catch it quick" he looked out at the group of people standing waiting "Baine, Kurt, Mike on vocals get involved" he laughed

"Check you out ordering people around" Sam laughed

"I need to show Dad I'm serous about this" he told him

"Okay good luck" Sam patted his shoulder, watching as he put the sheet music in front of Blaine, Artie, Sam and himself

"I'll start but I'm counting on you guys to make it sound good" he laughed "Three, two one" he said banging a beat on the drums, Artie joined in next and Sam followed shortly after as the music came into flow before Leon started them off singing **'Sunflower' by Post Malone & Swae Lee**

_**Leon (Artie):** Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy (ooh), ooh, ooh, ooh, ohh (ooh), Ayy, ayy, ooh, ooh, ooh, ohh_   
_**Blaine:** Needless to say, I keep her check, she was all bad-bad, nevertheless, calling it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck, crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck_   
_**Kurt;** Needless to say, I'm keeping her check, she was all bad-bad, nevertheless, calling it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck, crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck_   
_**Artie:** Thinking in a bad way, losing your grip, screaming at my face, baby, don't trip, someone took a big L, don't know how that felt, looking at you sideways, party on tilt_   
_**Leon:** Ooh-ooh, some things you just can't refuse, she wanna ride me like a cruise, and I'm not try to lose_

They hadn't even got to the chorus before everyone was moving, Sam's mind was doing overtime, he didn't even know the boy had music in his mind, let alone lyric in his heart, he stood listening to the song wondering why he was surprised with Mercy in his house, he got into the chorus along with everyone else and by the end of that first chorus he'd brought in, this was a hit

_Chorus **(Leon, Sam, Artie)**_   
_And you're left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya, you're the sunflower, I think your love would be too much, or you'll be left in the dust_   
_Unless I stuck by ya, you're the sunflower, you're the sunflower_

Blaine turned smiling at Sam, his face read impressed, the two men looking at Leon giving him encouragement, smiling when he went in on the drums harder in excitement, Sam glimpsing at the sheet to see the bridge was coming, he nodded at Leon and took it, everyone was dancing by this time, there was no denying the song was good, Trevor stood proud nodding his head to the music

_**Sam:** Every time I'm leaving on you, you don't make it easy, no, no, wish I could be there for you, give me a reason to go_   
_**Mike:** Every time I'm walking out, I can hear you telling me to turn around, **Blaine:** fighting for my trust and you won't back down, even if we got to risk it all right now, oh_   
_**Leon & Sam:** I know you're scared of the unknown, you don't wanna be alone (alone) I know I always come and go (and go) But it's out of my control_

_Chorus **(Leon, Sam, Artie, Blaine, Kurt, Mike)**_   
_And you'll left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya, you're the sunflower, I think your love would be too much, or you'll be left in the dust_   
_Unless I stuck by ya, you're the sunflower, you're the sunflower_

"That was brilliant sweetie" Andrea smiled as she hugged her son before everyone else dived in to give their compliments "Gail" she nodded towards the exit, her actions telling the woman she wanted a word. Gail didn't flinch she just turned and followed Andrea out the door "I've been wanting to see you again for a while" Andrea turned telling the woman

"I maybe need to apologise to you too Mrs..."

"Andrea" she put her hands on her hips telling the woman "We share grandchildren and you don't even know my damn name" she hissed at her

"I didn't get the chance to meet you at the wedd…" she got out before Andrea delivered an almighty box that made her reach for the ground and stagger to get her bearings

"Don't you dare stand there and even pretend to remember that day and then tell me about an apology" she hissed at her

"I guess I deserved that" Gail held her face telling Andrea "I've spoken to Sam and Mercy..." she found herself swinging in the other direction but this time her hand actually touched the ground

"Don't you dare speak their names as if you have any feelings for them" Andrea told her

"If you touch me again, I'm going to fight back" Gail told her

"That's what I was hoping for" Andrea told her smiling at the challenge "Say one more thing that pisses me off and we'll get that on"

"Where's your Mom?" Mercy asked Sam looking around the room "The children" she gasped her eyes searching the room rapidly

"They're fine" Sam grabbed her arm "Stop stressing please, I'm watching everything"

"So you don't trust this either?"

"I'm trying" he smiled "So where's Mom?" he looked around at Trevor talking to the other Dad's and no sign of Andrea or Gail

"Shit Mom's got a hold of your Mom" Mercy told him frightened for where that could go

"Mercy" Sam grabbed her by both arms "Your Mom's going to deal with her shit just like you do, so let them get on with it"

"Fight" Jeana shouted excitedly watching as everyone ran to the door


	29. Chapter 29

**Still at the Bar**

Mercy gasped to see Gail standing there one foot in front of the other looking her Mom in the eye "Come on then bitch" Anthea shouted at her "I boxed you again deal with it"

"Bitch" Gail lunged towards her screaming as her clenched fists turned into claws scratching for anything she could find,

Andrea cried out in pain, touching her face and making a giant roar when she extracted blood from just above her lip "You scratched me" she told Gail in disbelief before lunging at her, Gail lashed out at the lunge and grabbed Andrea's wig off her head, she stood for a second shocked at the thing before throwing it away and attempting to go back in. Andrea had stopped talking she'd turned into Mohammed Ali, she was floating on angry and ready to sting like a bitch "You're gonna get it now" she told her kicking off her shoes before she hopped around Gail smiling

"Mom" Mercy called trying to stop the fight

"Leave them" Sam pulled her back, if he'd have been able to hit a woman he maybe wouldn't be getting so much pleasure from doing this himself right now

"Sam they're going to kill each other" Mercy tried to get out of his grip telling him

"Mercy" he held her harder "I said leave them" his hold demanded she look at him

They missed the first jab Andrea delivered but everyone heard the effects of the second one when Gail fell to the floor and didn't move "Is she dead?" Stevie asked getting closer to look at her

"Thanks for your damn help" she opened her eyes and pushed him away with her hand

"I was torn, it's my Mom" Sam giggled as he looked at Andrea still bouncing about like she was ready for round two

"Next time you want to disrespect someone's daughter, remember" she wiped her bleeding lip "They have badass Mamas" she stood telling her "And if I was you I wouldn't get up" she waved her fists around threateningly as she spoke

"Andrea" Trevor finally stepped forward grabbing hold of his wife "That's enough"

"She deserves more" Andrea protested

"You said a slap you've knocked the woman out, that's enough" he pulled her with him as he spoke

"Trevor" she jerked out of his hand making Sam smile at the Mercy of it all, she really was her Mother's daughter

"We're going to see Tony remember" he let her go while they carried on walking

"That was a good start" Rachel huffed walking past Gail to make sure she heard her

"Sam" Mercy hissed, pissed he wasn't doing anything about all this

"Right" he turned to the waiting crowd "Shows over" he held his hand up telling them "For now" he added laughing, watching as Mercy cut her eye at him and walked away. He looked at Stevie and smiled at the result before grabbing the girls and going off to sort his shit out "Mercy" he called after her, his call echoed by Becky making her stop and look back at him "I'm trying"

"Try harder Sam"

"You're asking for an awful lot to be wiped away with one sorry"

"You wipe everything away when I say sorry" she looked up at him

"That's because I love you"

"What and you don't love your Mom?"

"I haven't felt anything about her for a long time, I can't just find it again in a minute"

"So what she has to prove herself to you to get your conditional love?"

"I think it's more about trust"

"I know it was my Mom but she went too far, and you should have stopped her"

"Seriously?" he stopped walking to ask

"Seriously" she looked at him her eyes telling him she meant every word

"Your Dad was standing right there watching, if he didn't see fit to step in what was I actually going to do, jump in and get my head kicked in?"

"He wouldn't have kicked your head in" she laughed

"That move would have changed our relationship" he told her before he carried on walking "Mom and Dad would have hated me for life"

"No they wouldn't"

"Shoe on the other foot, you're having some beef with someone who done wrong to one of the girls, you know it was a wrong, they know it was wrong, it's undeniable and in the middle of that Stevie comes in and stops you, what do you say to Stevie?"

"I can't say" she looked down at the girls holding their Daddy's hands

"Exactly, and every time I mentioned Stevie after that the only thing you'd be reminding me about is that beef he stopped, and don't lie" he laughed

"Okay" she giggled "You win this time"

"What, can you say that again?"

"I said we need to get ready to go see my Uncle" she smiled

"Where are we going again?" he rolled his eyes at the missed opportunity

"Falmouth, it's not far"

"Come on, let these two get a nap before we go off" he let Becky's hand go and grabbed Mercy's watching her grab Becky's hand as they went back to the cottage

**Sam & Mercy's Cottage**

The girls were bathed and left in their underwear asleep on the bed with the air conditioning on keeping them cool, Sam finally went to the living room to join Mercy on the couch, it seemed like the longest time since they'd just sat together, they were both being too careful and that had a habit of backfiring on them, so he opted for some closeness . He smiled when he was able to pull her down to lay her head in his lap without resistance, she needed this too, he sat brushing her hair off her face before he started hopefully an easy conversation "So how are you and our new addition doing?"

"We're fine, but Daddy won't let us do anything right now" she smiled up at him before snuggling back into his lap

"What, you think I'm being cruel?"

"No, careful" she looked up at him again smiling "I really am sorry about not saying anything about the baby, I was being selfish as usual" she drew her legs up into her tummy "I guess I'm scared" she closed her eyes at the feel of his hand on her cheek

"I know, I must admit after the five seconds of anger, that was the first feeling I had about this too"

"I'm going to be a bitch I know myself" she looked up at him concern on her face "And the girls are here and I really don't want them around all that, and I'm going to upset you and..."

"..Hey" he stopped her rant "We'll deal with it, we always do" he rubbed her arm trying to calm her down

"It doesn't have to totally be no sex you know.. I mean I could...or we could play, we have workable options" she looked up at him wiggling her eyebrows

"If it's none for you it's none for me, that's the deal" his hand went down to touch her tummy "We'll get through this"

"We will, I'll try my best"

"We will" he looked down at her smiling "You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm hoping for a boy" his hand cupped her tummy

"I think secretly I am too but I'm fine with which ever"

"Me too of course" his hand gently rubbing her bump telling her he was thinking "What do you really think of all this with Gail?" he finally asked

"I think it was always going to be up to you babe, you know I never wanted any of what actually went down between you two"

"I'll be honest, I'll be watching her like a hawk with the children, I'm far from trusting her, but I said yes because I can't keep letting her invade my thoughts, it's exhausting and dangerous, sex is getting out of hand on her shit, I don't like treating you like that, I just can't find another way, and I'm thinking maybe this is it"

"That's going to need more conversation, I mean that affects me now" she looked up at him giggling

"What do you mean?"

"I like your angry sex, and if that left I don't know what we could put in it's place" she giggled

"You're such a random kinky bitch sometimes, I think we could find something" he laughed

"Is that a challenge... Bitch?"

"For nine weeks time yeah sure" he laughed

"I'm going to try my hardest not to be like I was with the girls, I hated that version of me"

"I hated that version of me too, we need to just take time out this time, just walk away"

"Fine"

"I don't mean walk away and leave the house without telling me where you are" he looked down at her a warning on his face

"I wouldn't do that again" she looked up at him "Promise"

"That's up there with the top five scariest moments of my life"

"How do you think the girls are going to take the news?"

"They're 3 years old, much like any other 3 year old I suppose jealous as hell, with a view to disposing of the unwanted sibling" he laughed "I felt like that about my sister Zoe and I was 15"

"Until she was born"

"Yeah" he smiled his mind going back to the day they got the news

**_Flashback_ **

_It had been a day much like any other since Zoe had entered the world, he come down to breakfast, to a giggling Zoe watching his Dad trying to tickle the life out of her to try and get her to eat her breakfast. Sam was her favourite person so he'd take the spoon, tell her she was beautiful and she'd share a smile with him opening her mouth so wide it gave him the opportunity to throw food in her mouth with ease. He'd play aeroplanes with her for a few minutes kiss her cheeks telling her he loved her, smile at his Dad who always followed that smile with an "I love you son"_

_"Back at you old man" he'd laughed_

_"Fishing tomorrow?" his Dad asked every Friday morning_

_"It's always a date" he'd laughed kissing his sister before his Mom offered her usual left cheek for his kiss, and as he left the kitchen he'd hug his Dad and leave for school, home was the happiest place there could ever be, for him there was nowhere on earth like it, his Dad made sure of that._

_He'd got home that day to no one being at home, that wasn't usual, his Mom was always there, maybe in bed or sitting on the veranda getting that never ending rest she always claimed she needed to the point of neglect of her children, he'd walked around the rather large house calling for someone and went off to his room when he'd established no one was there "Stevie" he jumped off his bed and took his headphones off at his brother standing in the doorway of his room "What are you doing here..." his voice changing at the look on his brother's face_

_"Where's Mom?" Stevie asked_

_"Don't know, no one's in" he told him the next question already lined up "What's wrong?"_

_"She called me she sounded drunk, telling me some crap about Dad, have you seen him?"_

_"No"_

_"Zoe?"_

_"No"_

_Stevie rolled his eyes "I guess I better go find her" he turned to walk out of Sam's room_

_"I'm coming, what's going on?"_

_"We need to find Mom, she's not answering her phone"_

_"Just call Dad"_

_"He's not answering either"_

_"Maybe he's finally had enough of her shit and walked" Sam laughed_

_"Wishful thinking" Stevie laughed as they got to the car, suddenly Stevie turned and hugged him, it wasn't something they didn't do, it was just the random time he'd done it that made Sam think this was more than he was telling him right now, panic set in_

_"Stevie what's happened?"_

_"Get in the car" his big brother told him, walking round to the driver side_

_They found the car before they found their Mother sat on a stool at Jessie's Bar throwing whatever down her throat "You finally got here" she turned looking at Stevie as she spoke "Took you long enough"_

_"Mom" Stevie rushed towards her Sam in hot pursuit "What was the call about, what's happened to Dad?"_

_"To Dad?" Sam asked, now he was concerned_

_"Fill it up Jessie" she called to the bartender, watching as he brought the bottle over to give her another shot "There's been an accident" she turned to tell the boys "I can't even believe I'm saying this" tears came to her eyes as they stood watching her pour more drink down her throat "They've gone Dad and Zoe have gone" she held the glass up for another shot_

_"What do you mean?" Sam asked looking between Stevie and his Mom "We're going fishing tomorrow"_

_"Sam" she looked at him her eyes sad_

_"This is all your fault, if you'd paid more attention to Zoe, helped Dad out bit, I can't believe he left without taking me with him" Sam looked at Stevie as tears welled up_

_"Sam" his Mom called again, waiting until he looked into her eyes "They've gone, in the accident, god took them away from us" the bar had gone quiet already for all the shouting going on from them and her words just seemed to bang around the walls before echoing in his ears, he was crying he knew that, but he was numb, totally numb, and he stayed that way for a long while. He remembered getting a hug from some woman at the funeral, telling him his Dad was watching over him, then in the same breath she asked God to rest his soul, and after that the only physical contact he had with anyone was his brother, even when he left for college some 4 years later there was no hug, tap on the shoulder nothing the woman as so cold towards him. he knew she hated him , might have even blamed him for what happened, but he'd never know they never got that close to each other, he realised his Dad had masked so much of her shit, he hadn't even noticed that all the woman could do was hate._

**_End of Flashback_ **

He sat wondering how he was even giving Gail this one last chance, he'd obviously forgotten all of that for a second "Not everyone is built to be a parent" he heard Mercy's voice enter his head

"We are" he smiled down at her "How did you..." he asked, wanting to know how she knew what was going on in his head

"I know you remember" she smiled up at him

He looked down at her smiling back at him, he loved this woman "Then there's you" he bent to kiss her lips

"Daddy" Becky got their attention standing at the bedroom door rubbing her eyes


	30. Chapter 30

**09:00**

**Rachel & Quinn**

"So finally I got you to myself" Rachel smiled as they left the crowd "No plans until dinner so we can..."

"Check out the beach" Quinn smiled

"That's not what I was thinking"

"I know what you're thinking" she rolled her eyes at her fiancée "We need to see the beach"

"We can see it from the bedroom window" Rachel giggled "Why are you making me beg?"

"Because I like when you beg" she pulled her close and kissed her lips her left hand holding her face "I love your beg face"

"And I love your face" Rachel kissed her back telling her

"Remember the first time we actually said that to each other?"

"Of course I do" she replied as Quinn pulled her off towards the beach

**_Flashback_ **

_They'd spent days trying to set up a date night, it had been around two weeks since they got together and except for lunch breaks the rest of their schedule seemed to clash. Now and again they got a Wednesday night and they tended to be taken up with the group getting together it wasn't a situation that was exclusive to them Artie, Tina, Kurt, Blaine, Sam and Mercy all seemed to be going through the same thing but for some reason they just seemed happier than they were._

_There was this one fluke Thursday night Rachel didn't have a class so she'd gone to grab Quinn from her last lecture and get a coffee or something before she had to get back to her dorm, she had something to say. She stood looking through the oblong window in the door scanning the room for Quinn huffing when she couldn't see her, in fact the seat she usually sat in was empty. A panic set in at not knowing where her girlfriend was, she left the corridor wondering if she was seriously concerned or being possessive_

_"Quinn" she banged her bedroom door shouting "Quinn" she shouted well before anyone could have possibly answered the door_

_"Rachel" she arrived at the door flustered "What are you doing here?"_

_"Why aren't you at your lecture?"_

_"I had a headache"_

_"I panicked" Rachel waved her hands around flapping "I thought something was wrong"_

_"Nothing's wrong" Quinn stepped outside her room and hugged her girlfriend to calm her down_

_"I was so scared" she trembled in Quinn's arms_

_"I'm fine" Quinn kept a hold of her pulling her inside her room "I was dreaming about you" she whispered in her ear "We were more than kissing" she kissed her ear telling her_

_"More?" Rachel's head went up giving Quinn access to her neck "Much more" she smiled, her conversation was taking place without her saying a word_

_"So" Quinn pulled away from her "You want this too?"_

_Rachel didn't answer she stood staring in her girlfriends eyes while she peeled her clothes off while she watched, eventually she stood naked in the bedroom finding Quinn's bed as she stood watching "Come over here"_

_"Are you sure about this?" Quinn started unbuttoning her PJ's as she walked towards the bed dropping her clothes as she got closer as slow as she could_

_"Positive" Rachel grabbed hold of her, pulling her down to grab her lips with hers, falling back onto the bed bringing her with her_

_Quinn took control, it had been so long since she'd lay with a woman she wanted so much, but she was mindful it was Rachel's first time, she let go of her lips and started slowly kissing every inch of her body all the way down to her navel before coming back up again just as slow to look into her eyes "You're beautiful" she smiled at her_

_"So are you" she stretched down and grabbed Quinn's nipple in her mouth, it was her first time but somehow she knew exactly what her woman wanted, they touched, kissed and sucked nipples for a long time both of them wet with want_

_"I want to taste you" Quinn looked up at her arousal in her eyes "Can I?"_

_"God yes" Rachel gasped with relief at finally getting what she needed "I think I need you to"_

_Quinn's face wondered down her body slowly pausing to take in the smell of channel all over her girls body, mixed in with what she could only describe as strawberries, the sweeter kind. Rachel lay taking in the feelings, aching for the sensuous touch, smiling as she felt Quinn's breath between her legs_

_Quinn teasingly pulled at her pubic hairs with her teeth, smiling at the gasp Rachel let out for the touch, she'd been with other girls, thought she'd felt love but right now she could lay there licking for the rest of eternity, she smiled at the swing of Rachel's hips and the slickness of her core telling her to stop thinking and eat her_

_Quinn watched as Rachel's button peeped out of it's cover begging to be touched, she could wait no longer, they both groaned at the first stroke of her tongue opening her up and bringing on a deep shudder "God" Rachel gasped at the sweet intensity of the feeling_

_"You like that" Quinn giggled "What about this?" she slid two fingers inside her, not waiting for a reaction before licking her hard button, her fingers moving in and out slowly as Rachel moved with want below her_

_"Quinn" she moaned rocking as she inserted another finger_

_"Don't worry I'm not going to let you cum just yet" she pulled out of her licking her glistening fingers, Rachel lay shuddering, her body tingling from the delight of Quinn's tongue on her_

_"I..." she lifted of the bed to look down at Quinn still perched between her legs "I love you"_

_"I just about found that out for myself about you a minute ago" Quinn smiled back "I love you too"_

_"You're so perfect" she pulled her up her body, they lay smiling as Rachel held Quinn in her arms "I'm going to make you want me and only me for the rest of our lives"_

_"No doubt you will" Quinn smiled covering her lips with hers, smiling at Rachel's hands wondering all over her body, it was her turn to glisten, shiver and shake, the night saw pleasure at a level none of them had experienced before, before they fell asleep mingled in each other. A knock at the door alerting them to the morning, their eyes opened to see each other, sharing a smile of satisfaction before getting up to get dressed for the day_

_**End of Flashback** _

"Now we're here you got me thinking about being somewhere else" Quinn laughed

"Please choose somewhere else" Rachel pulled on her arm begging

"Oh...lets go" she giggled, as they ran of in the direction of their cottage

**Gail & Harry**

**09:00**

"Do you need a hand?" Harry looked down at the woman on the floor asking

"Do I look like I need a hand?" she looked up at him with her sarcastic response

"Actually you look like you could do with an attitude adjustment, some friends and, dare I say, a family"

"Thanks for the observation" she giggled holding her hand out or him to help her up

"So the short answer was yes?"

"I guess" she looked up at him with a smile on her face "I guess you heard I was Sam and Stevie's wicked Mother from the north"

"I don't think I heard the word Mother in there"

"Please go ahead and judge me, everyone else does"

"Thanks I might just do that" he laughed "What do you say to a drink and a listening ear?"

"I'm a recovering alcoholic" she looked at him frowning

"The last I heard they even serve water at bars these days"

"I could use a juice" she smiled walking off in front of him, she stopped at the first bar she came to grabbing a high seat as she watched him grabbing nuts out the bowl and throwing them in his mouth before talking again

"So what do you want, tap, sparkling, bottle, flavoured what?"

"Infused with orange juice please" she laughed "Fresh not concentrated"

"One fresh orange juice for the lady" Harry ordered, settling in with their drinks before he looked back at her "That ear's ready" he smiled

It had been a long time since anyone had just sat and listened to Gail talk, it brought with it a kind of freedom she hadn't had in a long time, she talked about her relationship with her parents, husband, in-laws, children, her everlasting relationship with alcohol and how it factored into everything bad in her life, she hadn't talked much about Steve or Zoe since that dreadful day to anyone, she didn't have anyone to actually talk to but today that changed, Harry was a good listener "So I finally realised that the problem was me, Steve's parents might have been right, but he never said that to me, he sacrificed a relationship with his family for me and to be honest I never got that until 257 days ago when I woke up in my own vomit again, alone, crying"

"So I guess you can't right that with Steve, Zoe, or your in-laws now so what are you gong to do?"

"Try my damnedest to make it right with my boys and their families"

"So you have a plan?"

"Not really, I guess getting here was the plan, after that I have no idea"

"I have every faith you'll work it out" he smiled touching her hand

"So what about you, now your daughter's married off moving in with her husband I guess your life is about to change too?"

"My life's not as flowery as yours" he looked at his glass before calling the bartender for top ups "Helen; my wife had problems having Santana and her brother Finn, I guess she was our salvation, we were more than happy when we found out they was coming, we were so careful about everything, Santana's the apple of my eye.  Maybe nine weeks into the pregnancy we learned Helen had cancer, I loved that woman more than life itself, it was the most difficult decision we'd ever had to make to choose between our babies or us," he smiled "We chose to edge our bets and go as long as we could so she could start a much less harsher treatment later in the pregnancy, but she got sick fast, I mean real fast, one minute it was under control, the next it was growing and spreading at the speed of light, it was like wildfire"

"She died having Santana and Finn?"

"No she got a few months with our daughter, Finn; our son died three days after joining us, and that was heart breaking for both of us, I love my daughter to bits, she's the best thing that ever came from us, but sometimes I regret our choice" he looked at Gail sadly "And I know it's not her it's me being selfish, but life has been so lonely for me without Helen"

"Santana is beautiful"

"No doubt about that, she'd the picture of her Mother, Mike's a lucky man, and young Finn's a lucky boy"

"I get that you're living with the what if's of the situation, but you can get consumed in all that stuff, just like I did and then what?"

"And then you come to terms with your choices and pick up a drink, and another, and another" he smiled

"Or you can put that drink down and hold onto that replica of the woman you're still in love with, that gave her life so that you could hold your child and make her life and death matter"

"She's married now, she's gone"

"She hasn't she's just changed the relationship, it's up to you to change with it, that's what I've learned, if you want to be a part of it you have to embrace it wholeheartedly and understand that we only actually had them on loan for maybe 18 good years if we're lucky, after that we too need to make friends with our adult children and treat them like adults"

"But she's still my little girl"

"And sometimes, if your lucky, she'll make you think that again, she'll need you"

"You think?"

"I hope, I long to hug my boys, honestly" she looked at him picking her fresh drink up "I've been a bitch"

"Capital B by what I've heard"

"So you go climb your mole hill and I'll go climb my mountain" she knocked glasses with him for the final time drinking what she needed from the glass before jumping down of the chair

"Maybe you should have had girls and I should have had boys" he laughed getting up to follow her

"I couldn't see a dress of Stevie or Sam to be honest" she laughed

"I couldn't see that smile my girl has for me on a boy either" he smiled hugging Gail before they parted company


	31. Chapter 31

**11:00**

"I guess it's time to get the children ready" Sam looked at Becky standing in the doorway "Mom and Dad will be round soon"

"Okay" Mercy huffed getting up to let him up "Can I at least choose their outfits?"

"I'll get them freshened up you can get them dressed" he smiled "I'm not trying to keep you away from our babies"

"Thank you" she kissed him lightly, there was an awkward second both unable to express their true feelings "I'll get their clothes..." she pulled away half smiling

"You know what, you get them dressed, just no lifting" he warned "I'm going to take a walk" he got up telling her, she could see the beginnings of arousal on him

"Okay" she forced her eyes to find a distraction, finding Becky to smile at, she heard the door shut behind him and sighed

**Sam & Blaine**

"Dude" Blaine shouted from his cottage doorstep, watching Sam kick sand, Sam looked up and smiled watching Blaine shut the door and walk towards him "You look like a man with the world on his shoulders, what's up?"

"Nothing and everything, I can't talk about it" Sam looked at him half smiling

"I know you Man, this has Mercy written all over it"

"Yeah" he chuckled nervously "Is it possible to love someone more than you love yourself?"

"I don't know, I mean I love Kurt as much as I love myself" he smiled "So maybe"

"I mean we've been together for 7 years, okay sex was slow getting there for us as you know, but... well …. once it started Dude, I get scared if it even threatens to stop, I don't know what it is for me but if I'm not having sex with her at the end of the day I feel... insecure I guess" his face looking relieved at coming to that conclusion

"So what's happening for you guys, is there a problem there?"

"No" he laughed "Or at least I don't think there is, it's just... it doesn't matter" he thought better of telling anyone else about their plight, Mercy would hit the roof "I guess I should be talking to Mercy about this, we'll sort it out" he smiled "So how are my favourite guys?"

"We are who we are, we're actually thinking of adopting"

"Seriously?" Sam's face lit up for the surprise "That's awesome"

"We think so" Blaine smiled "We haven't mentioned it to the parents yet... but we will"

"Blaine" Kurt called from their cottage doorway

"I got to go I went to get ice cream" he smiled "It will work out with Mercy and you, I've never known any couple love each other like you guys do" he backed away from him as he spoke

"Thanks Dude, dinner later"

"Yep" Blaine smiled before turning to look at Kurt waiting for him

Sam stood kicking the sand again thinking about their relationship, smiling as he remembered why and how sex became such a sacred part of their relationship

_**Flashback** _

_"Mercy" he frowned, he was near giving up on this relationship getting anywhere past talking and light petting, everything she did lead him to believe that sex was on the cards, every time they met up she was all over him, her jealousy was through the roof, he couldn't even look sideways she'd be ragging him out with her insecurities, yet she was holding out on him and bitching at him for having needs._

_He'd had girlfriends that held out before, it wasn't even about that; even though he was a healthy young man with needs, it was that she either didn't know or didn't care how he felt when she'd sit and talk about needs explicitly, all fucking night if you let her, knowing he was fit for bursting at the end of it and then clam up as soon as he'd touch past her knee, she was a damn tease._

_One night when he'd actually pre-ejaculated in his pants at their make out session because her hands were sailing close to his boner, but she wouldn't give him an inch past her knee he'd had enough of her pushing him away_

_"What's wrong, don't you trust me?" he pulled away asking her, holding onto his almost moist trousers crutch_

_"Of course I trust you, we wouldn't be here if I didn't"_

_"Did some guy hurt you before?"_

_"No I told you, I've never had a boyfriend before" she sat up setting her hair straight, obviously for her that was the end of the make out session, again_

_"But you have... you know done this before?" he looked at her with slit eyes_

_"What kissed?"_

_"And everything that goes with it"_

_"No, not really" she giggled nervously_

_"What... you're a virgin?" he pulled further back_

_"Yeah" her smile turning into fright at telling him that, somehow her mind was telling her this was going to be a big thing for him_

_"You're joking right.. I mean you went round with Santana"_

_"Yeah I did, and I watched her, not literally doing it, but I wanted to learn how to be sexy, but that sex stuff was Santana's groove, not mine"_

_"God" he held his head in his hands, this was all making sense for him now, she pretended to be up for it, acting all sexy and everything else, but that was a game "Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"I didn't want you to think I wasn't up for you"_

_"Up for me?" he looked at her asking_

_"I know you're not a virgin Sam" she rubbed grass off her hands together before carrying on "Sam I want to have sex, I really do, but I get so far and I feel dirty, I need for the man I finally sleep with to be in love with me, respect me, I might even need him to commit himself to being with just me, like a husband" she smiled "Sex means something to me, I'm giving another person everything about me and I need to trust that he's going to take care of it" she looked up at him half smiling "I know it's deep, and it's a lot to ask from a relationship that's only been going for three months so I understand if you don't want that sort of commitment"_

_"I..."_

_"No honestly I do" she smiled at him "I can't lie, I love you and every time we go there it's hell to stop myself, but something deep inside me won't allow me to go past that moral ground I've set myself"_

_"I love you" he smiled "No denying that, and I don't know why with you, but sex is the way I need to show you that" he frowned "I respect you for this, and I hear you, even about the husband thing, but Mercy you need to understand whenever that comes for us, marriage I mean, you're mine, you'll always be mine and I'll always be yours" he grabbed her hand "So for me it doesn't matter if we start now, next year or the day of our wedding, the next time I have sex and every other time after that, it's going to be with you, I promise you that, on my life"_

_"I have these barriers in my head Sam, but please don't give up on me" she looked into his eyes asking touching his lips before kissing them lightly "It would break by entire heart to lose you"_

_They'd left each other that night with a lot to think about, he was going to wait until she was ready, no more forcing the issue, respect was going to be his middle name. she'd walked away that night smiling having heard the exact words she'd needed from him, he was hers and she was his forever, he'd more or less proposed to her and somehow for her that was enough._

_Two nights later they were in his dorm, Blaine was out on his second date with Kurt, he'd called to say everything was going fine and finally Sam was relaxing when his door knocked "Drink?" he asked as Mercy walked through the door_

_"Yeah" she smiled, there was something in her eye he'd never seen before, it made him smile as he walked past her to get her drink_

_"I sorted a film out, you said you were tired so I didn't think we'd go out"_

_"That's fine" she smiled at him holding his eyes as he walked across the room_

_"What's the matter?" his voice had a giggle in it_

_"I didn't say I was tired, I said I didn't feel like going out"_

_"And there's a difference?"_

_"Yeah" she told him undoing her blouse "Big difference"_

_"So is this finally going to be a under the top clothes session?" he raised his right eyebrow at her move, his hands still dealing with getting her drink ready_

_"This is an almost your wife move Evans" she let her blouse drop to the floor_

_"I promised myself last night I'd let you decide when you were ready" he smiled_

_"Okay" her hands went up behind her back to unclip her bra, they both watched it fall to the floor "Oops" she smiled, her hands falling to her trousers, he stood with the spoon in his hand frozen watching her climb out of her jeans before blushing as she pulled her panties down and stepped out of them_

_"God" his jaw fell open as he dropped the spoon "Then there's fucking you" he walked towards her smiling grabbing her around the waist and kissing her hard "Are you sure about this?" he pulled away for a second asking_

_"Yeah" she smiled "You're gonna wife me some day yeah?"_

_"Yeah" he stepped away from her and took his clothes off, they stood both considering what this was going to mean for them "I love you Mercy Jones" he stepped towards her smiling_

_"Show me" she reached out and pulled him to her, if there were words to describe the connection, peace, love, need, selflessness that they exchanged that day, there'd be words to describe the depth of this relationship that started with a simple slurp, but there were none. They had each others entire hearts in their hands and neither wanted to be responsible for breaking the other's heart because on that day they found out what a heart was truly for. She'd asked him to show her how he loved her and for him she needed that every time, to feel love, not to hear it, see it, need it but feel it, his brain interpreted that to be sex, and the way she was maybe she did too_

**_End of Flashback_ **

"Shit" he looked down at himself, he'd made things worse thinking about that "Fuck it" he yelled running into the sea, everything about him needed cooling off

"Sam" Stevie stood on the beach calling him "Sam" he waved smiling when he got his attention "Mercy wants you"

"What?" he shouted back

"Mercy wants you" Stevie shouted

"What' wrong with her?" her walked towards his brother asking

"I don't know I guess you left your phone and she's panicking now" his voice quietening as Sam got closer "Are you stressing over the pregnancy?"

"No I'm fine, I worry about what may not even happen, you know me" he smiled

"I'm here if you need to talk" Stevie tapped his shoulder walking away from him

"Thanks" he stood looking at his brother for a second before Mercy waiting flew back into his mind, he rushed across the sand to get to his cottage "Mercy sorry I forgot to pick my phone up"

"I was just wondering when you were actually going to start getting ready for this exciting excursion Dad has us all going on, this Uncle better be all that and more than sliced bread" she talked as she watched him walking across the room towards their bedroom "Sam" she called watching him turn to look at her "I love you, you know that right?" she smiled "There's no need for questions about that"

"I love you too" he walked over to her for a kiss "I know you like to feel love and that's out for us right now, but I promise, I do"

"I feel it all the time Sam, I promise" she looked into his eye, smiling as her hand went up to stroke his lips before she tiptoed to peck them

"Then there's you girl" he let her go smiling

"You mean then there's you with your fine ass" she giggled


	32. Chapter 32

**12.30**

Twenty minutes later Sam was dressed and grabbing his wife's hand ready for the adventure, they were on their way to the door when it burst open to reveal Leon and Grace, their faces beaming at the prospect of leaving the complex.

"You guys ready?" Grace asked looking down at her nieces "Come on you two" she held her hands out for them smiling

"Mom and Dad are booking the transport, you know he's bartering big time" Leon laughed

"As long as there's not another haircut at the end of it all" Sam laughed

It took them around 30 minutes to make the 33Km journey from the hotel to Falmouth, another ten minutes to climb the rocks they called a road to get to a clearing at which the driver stopped "It just up there" he pointed ahead

"Is he not taking us to the house?" Sam asked surprised the cab was only doing half the journey

"There's no road in these parts" Trevor smiled

"I think we've known that for the past ten minutes" Sam got out the cab commenting, looking at Mercy before they wondered off into the wilderness "Hold up, how are we getting back?" he looked at Trevor asking

"He's coming back at 5.30pm, man up" he laughed

They walked for a further 10 minutes, Sam carrying Becky while Leon carried Hanny both cussing under their breath at the rocky road, their faces soon changed when they got to the top of the hill and saw the beautifully white house part way down it, peaking out of the side of the rock, looking over the town below and the sea ahead it was breath taking. "Who the hell lives in a house like this?" Andrea asked laughing as they started their way down the paved path towards it

"My brother and his family" Trevor laughed "..And I must admit, it's grown some since his last pictures"

"It's beautiful" she gasped grabbing his hand for support, Sam was balancing Beaky on his hip and almost walking backwards down the steps fretting for Mercy

"It's like walking down Murphy Ranch stairway" Sam laughed

"Hey" they heard looking down at a man waving his hand at them

"That's James" Trevor laughed walking faster, it had been nearly 20 years since he'd seen him, and in that time his parents had passed, James had gotten married and had his five strong family, they had a lot to catch up on in less than 5 hours. Eventually they got to the house, it was just as beautiful up close, you could tell it was well looked after and the animals; pigs, goats and chickens were all healthy

"Welcome" James smiled walking towards his brother, the two men hugged for a while mumbling in each others ears, it was emotional to watch, Sam stood trying to imagine not seeing his brother for 20 months let along years, and tried to understand what Trevor was feeling right now "Cynth" Trevor suddenly pulled away from Trevor shouting, smiling as a short woman came towards him "This is Hyacinth my wife" he looked at his brother smiling "And this, at last, is my brother Trevor and his family" he was proud to say it

Everyone said their hellos and went off to give the parents their time, looking around the farm which was in the back yard, the house which had well over 10 rooms considering there was only the two of them there, each room had it's own bathroom, there was a bar, and pool table at the back of the house with patio doors leading to the beginnings of a pool, it was super extravagant for where it was

"I guess you could all do with a drink" some woman peeped her head around the corner of the patio asking, the water in their bottles were hot, they all welcomed it.  Later on Dad called them into the main room, they were all sitting around eating fresh mangos and listening to funny tales about the two men's childhood when the door opened

"Pops" a familiar voice echoed around the room as everyone looked at the door

"Tyrone?" Sam asked, Mercy was still stunned

"Mercy, Sam what are you guys doing here?" he walked further in asking

"You guys know each other?" Uncle James asked smiling

"We've met in that world you don't like me in Pops" Tyrone laughing as he shook Sam's hand and kissed Mercy's cheek

"Yeah Tyrone and I have done a few things together; music, films" Mercy smiled up at Tyrone

"He might be Ty whatever out there, but in here we named him Michael or Mike to the family" Aunt Cynthia" came into the conversation cutting her eye at her son

"Mama" he smiled walking towards her in greeting, his Jamaican accent thick, Mercy gasped, she thought he was American

"So" his Mom took the kiss and started talking "This is the Mercy you sang that song with and fell in love?"

"Mama" Tyrone looked at her not happy for her blowing him up like that

"He's been in love with you for a while, he didn't tell me you were married with children" Aunt Cynthia looked at her smiled

"Children?" Tyrone spun round to look at Sam and Mercy "You guys have children?"

"Yeah these are our girls" Sam told him pointing at the twins sitting on their Uncle and Auntie's laps

"And if any pictures come out of them we'll know who's responsible" Mercy added

"He can't even talk, he has a 7 year old girl and a 2 year old boy that nobody knows about" Aunt Cynthia told them "And a poor wife" she was dropping all his secrets today

"So" Sam smiled bursting into the conversation "You two are related?" he looked at Mercy asking, he was so pleased about this, he was fit for bursting, shit was going to hit

"Sure are" James finally joined in the conversation "Not by blood" he added making Tyrone smiled

"But I dare anyone to tell me or act like she ain't my first born" Trevor told his nephew

"Uncle" Tyrone smiled shaking his Uncles hand "I hear you" his face serious "Sam I know you knew my game, it ends now, I didn't now she was kin"

"And that's the only reason?" Sam asked

"Plus I'm married as you both know now" he laughed "Jane will be across soon, she's teaching, at Sunday school"

"Sunday school?" Mercy could do no more than gasp, this man was one of the dirtiest bastards she'd ever met, she'd never tell Sam that, it would have just sent his jealous up another octave and it was already way up there, he controlled his shit only because she'd made him promise on her life he'd never mess with her work, this situation had just took her ace card away he was family, and now anything after this would be personal "So what's next for you guys?" he asked looking at Sam

"We're looking at getting some time to do another duet, it's been a while since our fans saw us together" Sam replied

"I'm on a rest, but if you want we could take a few minutes and go to the local studio, meet some people, play around a bit with some beats and stuff"

"It's a rest holiday for us and we have the children" Mercy told him before Sam could get his fuck you out

"Fair enough" he shrugged his shoulders telling them "Beer?" he asked Sam as he walked towards the door

"Hit me" Sam smiled

"Hit me too" Trevor laughed

"And you know you slapping me" his Dad called after him "Actually the suns not too bad at the back of the house, lets go get some air" the men got up to follow James outside

"You alright?" Sam asked Mercy as he got up

"Fine" she smiled grabbing his lips with hers before he fully got up

Mercy sat with her Mom and the children listening to a conversation going on between her Aunt and Mom, there were bits that were just above her head, she didn't understand half of it and she knew it was the same for her Mom but they carried on talking anyway "Who does that handsome white man out there belong to?" a tall, brown skinned, pretty woman with short locks stood at the door asking

"That would be your cousin's husband" her Mother in law laughed "This is Jane" she told them "Mike's wife" she was polite enough as she walked around the room saying hello, paying just as much attention to the children as she did the adults

"Mike tells me he's worked with you, you guys did that song 'Secret' together" she rolled her eyes smiling "I was so jealous of you" she laughed "I think he has a thing for you"

"And I have a much bigger thing for my husband" Mercy laughed

"I can see why that would be" Jane laughed "Let's take the children down to the shop get them some treats"

"Okay" Mercy jumped up

"Can we come?" Grace asked looking more than bored with leaving the free run of the hotel to go sit in some mountain side house with just a radio and a TV that wasn't turned on for company

"Sure" Jane smiled watching all four jump up "How old are they?" she asked Mercy

"Leon's 14, Grace is 12 and the twins are 3"

"You don't look old enough to have a 14 year old" she looked at her

"I'm not" Mercy didn't know whether to be offended or not "They're my brother and sister, the twins are ours"

"Oh" Jane laughed "Mike just said the children were inside and I just assumed"

They were walking and talking for more than 15 minutes before Mercy saw something in the distance "Is that the nearest shop?" she asked shocked

"Yeah it belonged to my parents" Jane smiled "A lot of my family live around here now, Mike's family are smaller than mine, so instead of us moving to May Pen they moved here, he built the house, and they're safe enough in the middle of my clan" she looked around "So everyone you'll ever meet here is family"

"Big family" Mercy laughed "There's just us too Dad, as you know, only has his brother and Mom is an only child, Grandparents had passed well before I was born, so except for Sam's Mom and brother and his brothers family that's it for us too"

"So that's family out the way" Jane turned to smile at her "What's it been like working with Mike?"

"Mike's very talented, he's good at what he does, dedicated to the business and what he puts into it, but he's a flirt, not that I've ever seen him follow anything through, and now I know why" she looked Jane up and down "So what do you do?"

"I'm a Teacher at school and church" she smiled "It keeps my mind off what Mike's getting up to out there, and I love children"

"I heard you had two children"

"Yes Michael Junior or MJ as we call him, he's 7 and Petal she's 2 her real name is Isha but everyone gets pet names around here" she laughed "And the Boothe's are growing again" she tapped her tummy smiling

"Congratulations" Mercy smiled

"You too" Jane hugged her saying

"What for?" Mercy pulled away from her asking

"Your pregnant too" Jane told her looking at her like it was old news

"How did you now that?" Mercy stopped walking to ask "Nobody knows yet"

"It's just one of my gifts" she smiled as she stepped off to carry on their journey

"Please don't tell anyone else, not yet anyway, we want to get past the first trimester before we tell the family"

"This is your business not mine" Jane assured her, looking at the children now stopped at the shop waiting for the to catch up "Lets get these sweets" she linked arms with her new cousin and finished the journey. Introducing Mercy and the children to her family.

Pretty soon it was time to go home, the family walked them back to where the cab dropped them off, Sam and Mercy stood watching as the brothers said goodbye, unsure when they would be seeing each other again. After everyone piled into the car they made the 30 minute journey back to the hotel in time to wash up and make ready for their last evening meal together for this break


	33. Chapter 33

**18:00**

**Royal Decameron Club**

Artie, Harry, Daniel, Mike, Finn and Leon were playing giant chess by the time Stevie and Sam joined the group of men, of course Li Jie and Lui Yang sat shouting moves at everyone claiming they were too advances to actually join in. The women were gathering at the poolside, no one was up for a dip they were dressed for their semi-formal dinner party, they'd all agreed the dress code was going to be white, so everyone was casual smart, with cotton dresses, trousers and shirts or stylish T-shirts. They'd opted for a corner of the largest dining room near the the main gardens for their family meal, it was usually reserved for weddings but tonight it was free so the Dad's bar Trevor had got together and rented the space for more privacy.

"Are we ready now?" Trevor sat watching Sam and Stevie walking towards them

"Yeah, please be ready I'm starving" Harry laughed walking off towards the gardens

"Where are we going?" Sam asked wondering why everyone was going in the opposite direction to the agreed venue

"Change of venue" Artie told him turning him around to follow everyone else

They got to the gazebo in a few minutes, everyone stood looking at the white archway leading to three round table, dressed with white cloths and dinner plates the gold stemmed crystal ware matching the gold stemmed cutlery "This is so extravagant" Mike laughed as the room came into full view

"Couples names are in the bag" Rachel rattled her red drawstring bag telling everyone "And tasks are in the other" she held an identical blue bag up

"What are names in the bag for?" Kate asked looking at Mercy for an answer

"I don't know" Mercy shrugged her shoulders telling her

"Here we go" Kurt rolled his eyes telling everyone

"Names are on the tables" Quinn told everyone

"What the hells been going on while we've been away?" Sam asked laughing at all the order

"It's called organised" Gail walked behind them laughing

"What's..." Sam started to ask of his Mother's presence before he realised they were on a truce

"I invited her" Harry walked up to her telling him

They sat down to a lavish Jamaican dinner, every traditional dish they had to offer was on the table, the children's plates almost as big as the adults chatting from one thing to the next, as starters, main and then dessert was served, completed by a glass of various varieties of punch

**Kurt & Blaine**

"Okay" Rachel shouted over everyone's conversation "The night doesn't end here" she smiled at the blank faces around the room "So this is catch up on... call it a timer, everyone has five minutes to share, and the hard part is, each couple has to do it together" she laughed "So to kick off we have" she dipped her hand in the red sting bag "Blaine and Kurt, doing their what's next in... poem" she took a piece of paper of the blue string bag

"Poem?" Kurt asked "We don't do Poem"

"Well you do now" she laughed "Time starts now"

"Shoot" Kurt looked at Blaine in panic

"I got this" Blaine smiled at him, neither of them were poets but this didn't have to rhyme anyway "Sorry, we don't have the time, to talk to you today, we're too busy with our life, to hear what you've to say, we've got this thing to do right now, and it can't wait a second more"

"But maybe if things do ease up, maybe we could get a rain check?" Kurt added

"Not sure when that will be though, this thing carries such high stakes, we're so invested and this things on full-blast, we can't put on the brakes" Blaine smiled "I can't think of anything else"

"That's fine" Rachel smiled as everyone started clapping

"Another theatrical masterpiece coming" Mercy smiled at their friends

"You got it" Blaine smiled proudly

**Rachel & Quinn**

"Next up is... Rachel and Quinn" she read out "In pictures" she frowned "We're both crap at drawing" she giggled

They set about drawing pictures of wedding rings, dresses, churches, flowers, everything wedding, both trying to draw different things at the same time and moaning loudly when no one got it, finally ending with a date in July "We'll be busy then" Mercy broke the silence telling them, watching as they kept changing the date in July before heading into September to her smile

"September then" Quinn let out a sigh at coming to an agreement, everyone looking at Mercy thinking she was being unreasonable

"You've broken your own rules" Harry told them "It's 6 minutes now"

"Sorry" Rachel told him cutting her eye at Mercy

"Sorry" Mercy mouthed making her smile

**Santana & Mike**

"Next up is... Santana and Mike, and theirs is in... mime" Rachel smiled

"Mime" Mike smiled getting up "We can do that" he grabbed Santana's hand pulling her up with him, finding the centre of the gazebo to fully express themselves "What's next?" he stood looking at Santana smiling "Oh" he smiled waving his arms around as everyone immediately picked up flying, Santana rolled her eyes at him telling them they were going home soon, that was something she already knew

"Mom" Finn looked at her, begging her to try harder

"Okay" she smiled remembering the vows he'd made them take just over 24 hours ago "So Fly" she turned back to Mike to watch more, everyone shouting their guesses as Mike ran out of time fast

"Far away" Blaine finally jumped in telling him, smiling as Mike pointed to him, they'd got a breakthrough, watching as Santana's eyes lit up

"No" she gasped covering her mouth to stop the swear coming out "Seriously?" she jumped

"Say it Mom" Finn rushed forward telling her "Say it"

"England, we're finally going to England" Mike pointed at her before sighing with relief

"Seconds left" he laughed as she jumped into him, happy

**Artie & Tina**

"The floors yours" Rachel looked at Artie and Tina smiling "You've got... formal" she frowned

"God I don't know if I can do this without laughing" Tina grabbed Artie's hand to get up

"Let's give it our best shot" Artie smiled squeezing her hand "I'll start" he smiled at his new wife "Ready?" she nodded and watched him go into action "No. What do you mean? have I talked to anyone about this"

"I mean …. yes. I mean are we actually talking about this, or are we just…

"No, we're just…"

"We are, we're "talking" about it" Tina hyphenated the word rolling her eyes

"Maybe its an idea" Artie smiled

"Idea?" Tina looked at him puzzled

"You guys sound like politicians" Blaine laughed

"I can't play I'll cheat, I've heard this conversation before" Mercy giggled

"Your doing another film" Rachel shouted out

"And?..." Artie asked pointing at Tina

"Oh that's fantastic" Sam smiled jumping up "Congratulations" he hugged Tina

"Thank you" Tina smiled "My dream come true"

"Aarrh hubby and wife working together, I want to be in the film" Mercy whined

"Watch this space" Artie wiggled his eyebrows at her

"Way past 5 minutes" Rachel waved the name of her next victims at the crowd

**Sam & Mercy**

"You guys are next up" Rachel pointed at Sam and Mercy "And yours is... singing" she smiled

"This is all so coincidental Miss Berry" Mercy slit her eyes at her friend

"At lease we all get a turn" Rachel laughed

"Mercy" Sam pulled her up "We've already got a song, we think it might be our next duet" he smiled as he stood getting his phone out to crank some music up to **"Bridges' by Johnnyswim**

"What do you think?" Mercy asked smiling as they finished the last note

"Seriously?" Kurt asked

"No point in staying safe?" Trevor asked

"Yeah we finally told everyone about the twins on Ella the other day, it will be world news on Thursday" Sam told them

"About time, Stevie..." Rachel started her next challenge

"I don't think so Rachel, I don't mind singing along but bright lights and stuff definitely belong to Sam and Mercy"

"Fair enough, I guess that wraps up catch up, 2 hours to the end of this mini break" she threw the bags down smiling as everyone found their seats again

"I knew you're thinking about something" Mercy whispered in Sam's ear "Daddy is not going to let him come down to us you know that right?" Sam just looked at her smiling

"So all that's left to say is goodbye, for now" Artie looked around the tables smiling "It's been great, and thanks again for taking the time out for us"

**Harry & Gail**

"Hold up I have a catch up" Harry laughed "Well it's more like an information bomb but,..." he looked over at Gail "This afternoon Gail and I..."

"You have got to be fucking joking" Sam looked at his Mom shocked "I thought you came back to... you know what forget it" he got up, the look on his face made Mercy follow him

"Rachel watch the girls please" she asked as she hurried off

**Santana & Harry**

"Dad" Santana got up and walked towards him, pulling him away from the crowd to talk to him "Whatever you think you saw in that woman, have a drink, make a joke and get rid of it" she told him as they walked "You weren't here to hear the stories everyone told about that woman, surely the fact that Andrea had to beat the crap out of her is an indication that she is the last person you would want to be connected with" she looked at him asking

"But we're..."

"Dad that's where you're going wrong in this situation there is no we" she huffed "look I understand that for you there's been no one since Mom and that's a long time to be lonely, but I can assure you Gail is not the way forward"

"Santana if you just let me speak" he stopped her walking to grab her attention

"If the words are you've forgotten the witch" she looked into his eyes begging

"Gail and I..." he chuckled at her rolling eyes "Gail and I are not in any kind of relationship, never even thought about it"

"So what's with the linking up of names?"

"We had a conversation about us, our children and where we wanted to be in our lives and I was about to share our conclusion"

"There was a better way to start that conversation Dad" she rolled her eyes at her madness

"Excuse me" he rolled his eyes "But if everyone had listened instead of jumping to conclusions"

"I know" she rolled her eyes as they turned to re-join the rest of them

**Sam & Mercy**

"Sam" Mercy walked quickly after him "Sam wait" she called after him watching as his steps got faster "Sam Evans if you ignore me one more fucking time" she hissed at him

"What?" he spun round shouting back at her "What the fuck are you going to do, leave me too?"

"What?" she didn't even understand where the hell that came from, she rolled her eyes at his ridiculous "Sam" she let out breath at his name passing through her lips "I'm not the enemy here, I'm on your side, I'm always going to be on your side" she walked towards him

"Can you just..." he held his hands out stopping her from getting close "Can you just leave me alone" his hands raked through his hair before he turned to walk off again

"No" she followed him getting just as angry as him for the way he was being "You can't just shut me out and then let me in when you see fit, this isn't how love works Sam, you're complicating it again" she followed him talking, stopping when he suddenly spun round at her, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the side of the nearest cottage, she tried to pull away, she knew what this was, raising her head as his mouth dived into her neck, she wanted this, she needed to give him this, but she knew he'd never forgive her for making it go too far

"Sam" she gasped while her body moved ready for him

His head jerked up to look at her "Then there's you" his eyes full of rage while his voice was full of want, his left arm pulled her into him before his right hand started searching her body for what he needed

"Sam" she gasped trying to push him off, he had her locked down like she was in a vice "Sam" she felt his hand invade her panties, this had already gone to far and she knew he was going to kick off, but she had no choice "Sam the baby" she said loud enough for him to hear

"What?" his head sprung up asking "This is all your fault" he hissed at her "Leave me alone" he pushed her away from him, dismissing her with his actions, he stood for a second looking at her before he turned and ran off towards the cottage. There was no help for her to be right now, she stood wondering what to do, wanting to cry, he was hurting, she couldn't help him not this time and now he was blaming her for all of it "Stevie" she gasped grabbing her phone to tell his brother what she needed him to do, so her husband could get some help


	34. Chapter 34

**Mercy & Stevie**

"Stevie" she called when he answered the phone, there was obviously heated conversations going on back there, but right now she wasn't interested in asking "Can you come to our cottage as quickly as you can, Sam's not doing well"

"Of course" he answered closing the call, minutes later he was standing in front of Mercy a bit out of breath, but worried "What's up with him?"

"He's never taken this stuff easily and well..." she looked at him embarrassed for having to share their business "We can't deal with this in the normal way and I don't know what to do" her hands dropped to her sides in defeat "He blamed me for everything" she burst into tears at him

"Mercy, you know it's not him talking, and he wouldn't want you upset with the..."

"He told you" she looked up at him asking

"He's not coping well and Mom coming in right now isn't the right time, I guess he felt forced into going along with everything"

"He told you" she repeated

"Yeah" Stevie looked at her, his eyes begging her not to take that as another knock "He's just scared for where this pregnancy could take you guys this time, you both are"

"I know" she told him, sounding like she was trying to convince herself of that too

"He's probably more fucked off with himself for trying to be rough, we both have that as a coping strategy, I don't know why, it just makes everything better being so close to the one you love"

"I just need you to calm him down, I don't even know how you're going to do it" she held her head telling him all this talking wasn't helping

"Just don't rag him for telling me"

"Stevie" she hissed through her teeth, wanting him to get gone

"Okay" he stepped off towards their cottage "Is there some sort of manual you and Kate share?" he looked back at her smiling

"Sorry" she told him feeling a bit of a hypocrite for having told Kate years ago about Sam's fetish for rough sex that she enjoyed, a smile coming to her face when the memory came of Kate telling her Stevie had the same fetish and she demanded it sometimes

**Stevie & Sam**

"Sam" Stevie called as he walked through the already open door "Can we talk?" he looked at his little brother sitting on the couch trying to calm himself down

"Stevie" his face red with anger and wet with crying "I can't do this getting into Mom thing, not right now, it's too much, I've just dissed Mercy in the biggest way, I know she'll never forgive me for it"

"She will" Stevie sat nest to him telling him

"I was being totally selfish, that demon inside me took over and I blamed her for everything" he held his face "She's not to blame for any of it, I know she's always felt like she was, and I'd sworn to myself I'd never make her even think it and then I go and do something as fucking stupid as this"

"I'll let you into a deep secret of mine which makes me believe Mercy will forgive you" he smiled at his little brother looking very much like his little brother right now, frail, scarred and angry all at the same time "I raped Kate once"

"What?" Sam's head jumped out of his hands at the revelation

"Obviously I'm not going to go into details, but she said no, loudly, and I just went ahead and took it, she was screaming, hitting me and swearing, but I carried on and had a few bruises to show for it afterwards"

"What happened?"

"She didn't speak to me for about three months, I thought we were heading to the divorce courts, I felt ashamed to the point that I wouldn't accept responsibility for my actions. We got to a place I guess where it was really hard for both of us to see a way forward, I'd crossed a serous line" he frowned "Then one day I walked into the house expecting that frost again and she had that song playing, 'Easy' you know the one that Mercy sang for that first movie of hers, I'll never forget it, and after dinner, which I was surprised she'd made for me to be honest, we talked and made it easy again" he smiled "I vowed on the twins lives it would never happen again and she vowed she'd never bring it up again and we carried on" he nudged his brother "I'm not saying what Kate and I have isn't love, because it is, but I see what Mercy and you have and I know, you guys can get through any damn thing, go say sorry, we can put Mom on hold"

"I think she'll be upset about that too"

"Look explain to Mom, we can do that together or we could take it really slow, give you guys some space for these next few weeks, she'll work around us, she's the one that wants in" Stevie laughed

"Okay" he smiled "We'll talk to Gail"

"Let's get all these goodbye's out the way first" Stevie stood up telling him

"I need to speak to Mercy before I do anything else" Sam got up telling him

"Your call" Stevie grabbed his shoulder as they walked out of the cottage making their way back towards the crowd. Sam had expected to see Mercy somewhere close by, but he didn't see her until he got back to the crowd sitting between Quinn and Santana

**The Gazebo**

"Finally" Artie smiled at the two men walking towards them

"Sorry for my language earlier" Sam told everyone

"It was a shock" Santana laughed "But nothing's happening so we're cool"

"Yeah" Sam's eyes searching for Mercy's as she did her best to avoid eye contact with him, he needed to sort this out, he felt like shit, he looked around for his seat occupied by Harry at the moment he was pleased about that it was next to Gail, he sat in Harry's seat next to Mike, watching Stevie wrap himself into Kate, bringing his attention back to Mercy

Becky" Mercy called as he watched her divert their daughter from going to him "Come here sweet" she held her hands out for her, he was hurt that she thought he'd hurt their child, but then he'd told her he'd never hurt her and how did that pan out

"Time for goodbye's, it will probably be another five years before we all meet up like this again" Kurt told everyone

"We're not going to wait five years before we get married" Rachel told him

"And you all better be there" Quinn added

"We will" Tina smiled "Well we're off to Cayman Islands for a week of married bliss"

"Yeah it's going to be flat out work for 6 months once we get back" Artie told her

"England's on the map" Santana smiled excitedly looking over at Mike

"We'll definitely try to get away for the wedding" Blaine added

"We're back to our normal life" Kate laughed "Once we smuggle those two out of here" she looked at Becky on Mercy's knee and Henny with Grace

"It's been a lovely weekend" Li Jie added everyone nodding in agreement

"Group hug" Sam jumped up filling the awkward silence, he knew everyone was waiting for either him or Mercy to update, they moved in saying their goodbyes as they formed a circle, Sam taking the opportunity to look at Mercy again, she still wasn't acknowledging him

"The wedding then" Mercy looked around the group telling everyone before the group broke up and they went about grabbing their bags, she grabbed her Mom's hand and walked off with Kate, all the girls and her family, Sam stood watching wondering how the hell he was going to sort this

**Sam, Stevie & Gail**

"Sam" Stevie called grabbing his attention, he looked around to see him standing there with Gail "We need this conversation, I've got half an hour" Sam had two words for the woman right now, fuck and off, he had much bigger fish to fry, his head wasn't in this, but she was the cause of all this so he thought best to deal with the root first and went over to join them "Mom" Stevie looked at her smiling "I know we said we wanted to have a go at this but Sam's head isn't in it right now, he's got a lot going on, so he wants to renegotiate" he told her looking at Sam to carry on

"Yeah" he sat on the chair in front of him, watching as Stevie and Gail sat down too "Mercy and I are not in the right head space to be dealing with outside stress right now, we need a few months before we can even start thinking about including you in our lives"

"But earlier you said..."

"I know what I said and I believed it at the time, but seriously we're not ready and I'm not saying no, just not yet"

"Kate and I are fine with things and we want to encourage a relationship with you, I know Sam does too but he has lots going on..."

"Maybe I can help" Gail leaned forward telling him

"No, I can handle my wife, and she can handle me" he told her his tone letting her know he thought she'd crossed a line

"Sorry" she touched his arm "This isn't a no is it?"

"No it's not a no, it's just bad timing for us right now" he confirmed

"Okay" she smiled trying to understand her baby was a family man now, with responsibilities and commitments "I hope you guys work it out soon" she got up looking at her boys "I have an hour to pack, we'll speak real soon, Yeah?"

"When we're ready" Sam looked up at her trying to smile

"Soon Mom" Stevie smiled at his Mother

"Bye for now then" she smiled at the hug she got from Stevie

"Bye" they said together watching as she walked away

"Mercy" Stevie turned to tell him "I asked Kate to get the girls to our cottage give you guys some time, two hours and we're gone"

"Okay" Sam smiled making his way back to their cottage "If we don't see you before it's going to be at the airport"

"Airport" Stevie waved, both walking backwards as they spoke, Sam turned to run back to the cottage 

**Sam & Mercy**

"Mercy" he gasped seeing her sitting on the couch with her head in her hands

"Sam I'm not ready to talk to you" she looked up at him for a second before grabbing her head again

"So just listen then" he walked towards her "I said it, I know I did, but on my heart I didn't mean it, I was just lashing out because I didn't have any release and I didn't know how to handle that, I'm truly sorry" he sat beside her telling her feeling physically sick for the way he was making her feel right now

"Sam" she moaned at him not listening to her request

"Please just listen" he cut into whatever it was she wanted to say just then "You hear me better when I sing" he grabbed her hand  ** _"Sometimes I'm beaten, sometimes I'm broken, cause sometimes this is nothing but smoke, is there a secret? is there a code? can we make it better? cause I'm losing hope..."_   **he squeezed her hand "I still need us Mercy, I know I need to make myself better, but honestly, I really don't know how to do that, I'm trying" he held her hand against his chest _**"Tell me how to be in this world, tell me how to breathe in and feel no hurt, tell me how cause I believe in something, I believe in us..."**_ **'Us' by James Bay**

"Sam" she looked into his eyes smiling, she loved this man, he was her everything and she knew in her heart she was his, truth be told she was more angry with herself for not being his one just now, her free hand went up to touch his lips, his eyes closed at the intimacy, she leaned in and she kissed him "I believe in us too, I just need a minute" she stroked his face

"Sure" he let her hand go and stood up "I just need you to know I love you above everything and everyone else in this world, and I hate that I hurt you like this" he walked away leaving her in her thoughts

"Sam" she called after him "I love you, you know that right?"

"Then there's you" he smiled, happy they were nowhere near where he thought they were

"Sorry to ask this, but... can we put a hold on Gail until we get past the surgery? I hate that I can't be there for you"

"Already done" he walked back towards her smiling "That was a quick minute"

"This" she pointed between them "Is unconditional"

"I love you Mrs Evans"

"I hell of a know that Mr Evans, lets go home" she smiled at his face coming down to meet hers, and took his kiss

"I don't think we'll do another planned holiday for a while, too much think time" he smiled grabbing her hand to go get their cases

"Much too much"

"Plus every time we plan one, you're pregnant"

"Is that a bad thing"

"For the first 16 weeks yes" he laughed "I need you, you know this"

"I need you too babe"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a longer than expected season 1   
> There are lots of ends to tie up which means there'll be a season 2 on this one  
> But first an unexpected holiday   
> Write to you all in a month or so

**Author's Note:**

> Unsure where this one is going, it started off as a very different fic, but my mind wonders, and then fics like this come out of it


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